An Everlasting Summer
by TeaBooksCats
Summary: What if Dany never encountered the maegi? What if she became the powerhouse she was meant to be, alongside her dragons, her husband and her daughter? MA for sex, violence, swearing
1. Chapter 1

The fire burned all around her.

The flames flowed and swayed as if dancing to the roar and crackle of it, like the dancing women at their wedding feast . She could feel a tingling on her now bare scalp, the scent of burning wood overwhelming the singed hair. She could hear the screams and cries from her people, her _khalasar_ , but she did not listen. Jorah had called it a fit of madness, but she knew better. Was she not _Khaleesi_?

Sitting cross legged holding the beautiful white egg in the furrow between her small breasts and swollen belly, she gently stroked the surface, trying to distract herself from the pains inside her. The black egg sat in her lap, the green at her feet. There was a quickening inside of her, and a deep ache that was almost painful, growing and spreading down from her belly and through her hips. She wished for her furs and her handmaids, for the arms of her sun and stars.

But for the first time in her life, Daenerys felt sure that she was doing the right thing, and that the actions were entirely her own.

Something in her blood, or maybe direction from the gods, drove her to this. The flames flicked across her cheek, gentle as the caress of a mother. The heat was nothing compared to the flames inside her, cleansing her body and the body of her child. The stirring in her belly was beginning to turn into a hard, deep pressure. But as Rhaego prepared to come into the world, she could feel the child inside her egg beginning to wake up as well. She could feel faint movements, like butterfly wings, inside the egg she held in her arms.

Sweat beaded her forehead and her breathing began to come out in gasps and moans, but it wasn't from the heat. She had no handmaid, no servants, no husband to draw strength from. As a contraction took her, she wanted to cry out. But she knew she couldn't, with everyone watching. It was if the whole world was watching with bated breath. So instead Dany began to sing. Low and deep, almost like a moan. She sang the only Dothraki song she knew, a mournful keen of a thing about returning home. She didn't know all the words, but she could mimic the sounds.

 _I am the blood of the dragon_. She told herself. _I am Daenerys Targaryen, Khaleesi and rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms_. She would be her own strength, she decided.

The ordeal was over long before the flames died out. The pyre she had had built was massive, full of thick trees, covered in oil. She lay there on her side, aching and sore, too weak to lift herself. Too afraid to look up. So instead she looked down. Wrapped in her arms, her babe reached up to touch her face and Daenerys's heart felt full to bursting with love, and a strange sense of determination she had seldom felt before.

Around her, three hatchling dragons explored on thin, new legs, not straying far from their mother. It occurred to her that she may appear dead, that her people may be just as afraid as she is. She braced herself for discomfort, and pushed herself up with the hand that did not hold her baby, so that she sat up. There was a silence in the crowd for a moment, a collective intake of breath.

She drew herself up as high as she could and found the eyes that belonged to the knight from Westeros, Ser Jorah Mormont, and weakly croaked, "Her name is Rhaello."

Her head felt warm and fuzzy and her vision blurred, she fell to the ground and saw nothing but darkness and heard nothing but shouting.

When she came to, it was to a damp rag being pressed against her forehead. Her eyes snapped open and all of her terror returned at once.

"Rhaello. Where is she?" Her eyes found the blue ones of Doreah.

"Peace _Khaleesi_ , she is here. Do not move, let me bring her to you."

Doreah walked across the tent and Dany righted herself. She shifted her pillow so that it lay under her, as she was still tender and sore from the birthing. Her breasts hung heavy and aching, milk leaking from them slightly. She noticed a breeze and brought her hand to her scalp-only to find smoothness where once she found silk. The hair on her entire body had been lost in the flames, she noted with more than a touch of sadness. But when she held her daughter in her arms she forgot her sadness. Instead, she felt a joy that she had only felt a few times in her short life. Maybe she had never felt it, not like this. She pressed her lips to her child's tiny forehead and sighed deeply. No, she had never known a pleasure like this. Rhaello seemed to be half asleep still.

"Where are my dragons? They need their mother too."

Doreah had the grace to look away. "I apologize _Khaleesi_ , they have been kept in a pen outside. Nobody, not even the Khal, dare approach them."

"Release them." Dany ordered, "They are my children too, which makes them a part of the Khalasar just as much as you and I. Bring them to my tent."

Doreah murmured an agreement with her eyes cast towards the ground and backed out of the tent, slightly paler than usual.

Dany turned back to the infant in her arms. "Rhaello." She whispered, looking into the bright eyes of her child.

They were a deep rich purple, deeper than any of Master Illyio's robes, deeper than any gem. From a distance they would appear almost black, like her fathers. They had the distinct almond shape of the Dothraki, and her soft skin had the slight colouring of an almond too. Dany wished to know the colour of her hair, but she found that Rhaello's had been lost in the flames as well, if she had been born with any at all.

She brought her small head to her nose and inhaled, she was soft and sweet and pure and full of life. She was the most beautiful thing Dany had ever seen. But she was not the Stallion that Dany had promised her Khal. She was not the king that would sit the iron throne. She was a girl, and a grievous insult to her husband. She wasn't surprised that he was nowhere to be found. Often, a _Khal_ that was presented with only daughters simply lay with other women of the khalasar until one of them was able to provide. His wife was sent to live with the Dosh Khaleen at the Mother of the Mountains with the daughters, so that the khalasar may forget their shame.

She hoped deep in her heart, that for the love her Khal bore her, this would not happen. If she had to leave, she would be leaving a part of herself behind. But she would walk away with her head held high and her daughter by her side, and she would not go to live in peace with the crones. She would find another way to bring her daughter home. She was not just a Khaleesi, she was the rightful heir to the iron throne. She was the mother to dragons, for the first time in hundreds of years. She would not be set aside easily. _Surely_ he would see that, she thought. He must know that Rhaello's birth does not change her destiny.

But doubt clawed at her throat. He may not send her away, but he may not come to her either. She was still a Targaryenn princess, her worth alone, even with a daughter was more than any other woman in the khalasar. And now she had dragons. She was valuable, he did not have to desire her in order to appreciate that.

 _No_ , she thought, _Drogo could not turn her away_. _But he may find solace in another woman regardless. He may father other children._


	2. Chapter 2

Her dragons returned shortly before her handmaid did, barreling into the tent squealing with joy, fumbling on skinny awkward legs and flapping silky useless wings. They climbed onto her shoulders and rolled in her lap, they played around at her feet. They sniffed Rhaello cautiously and nuzzled her face. They were the same colours as their beautiful eggs, only they shimmered and glittered in the light as they moved. The green one nuzzled into her neck and she sighed happily.

Doreah soon followed and began to put together a plate of food, but when she turned around to give it to Dany the three dragons made her jump by hissing and jumping at the food, causing her to spill it.

"I am sorry _Khaleesi_ , they frighten me so. I do not yet believe they can be real."

She flushed red and went to prepare another plate. "We were all so scared when we realized what you were doing, none of us understood. Very few of us knew what was even happening, it was all madness. But that is nothing compared to the madness now. Half of the _khalasar_ wants to make you their sole ruler, half wants to see you dead."

"And Drogo?" Dany implored, "What does Drogo want? Has he been to see me?"

Doreah looked at her feet "Drogo is with his bloodriders on a hunt. They left shortly after you walked into the flames, when he realized you were lost to reason. He believed you intended to die in the fire. He does not know you survived, he does not know anything that has happened."

"But he will be back soon, won't he?"

Dany could feel the desperation in her voice.

"He will return, and he will not cast me aside lightly, as his Khaleesi and the mother of dragons. He can't."

"Khaleesi, if I may speak openly," Doreah started.

"The Khal will be gloriously relieved to find you unharmed, he will forgive you anything for a moment. But he will remember that he will have to live with a daughter instead of a stallion soon enough, and the relief will wear off. He was prepared to cross the narrow sea to see his son become king. He promised the whole _khalasar_ , and himself, that he would do this. He may be afraid of the dragons, he may think you are a _maegi_ , a witch. The Dothraki hold onto their superstitions tightly, and their traditions run deep. He wedded a beautiful princess, and you have become a strong, fearsome queen. It is not my place to assume how he may feel about this change."

Dany could feel the tears in her eyes. She blinked them back.

"So it shall be then." She said "He will soon find that I am not so easily discarded. I have honour enough for the both of us."

And she lay back on the furs with her plate of food and Rhaello lying next to her, sharing bits of horsemeat with her dragons and soon falling back asleep.

The following morning the khalasar packed up camp and prepared to move on. Her _Khal_ had returned in the night, but had not yet come to her. Or so she heard, from her handmaids and from the whispers moving throughout camp. Her dothraki was still rough and unsophisticated, but she understood enough words to know what her people were talking about. She picked up the words _disgrace_ and _betrayal_. She began to despair, her eyes burning with tears. _I am the blood of the dragon,_ she told herself. She took a deep breath, and the tears dried.

Jirri gripped her arm "Khaleesi, hear my words."

They locked eyes for a moment, she knew hers were glassy and red, so she averted them.

"You may find that the _Khal_ is as unsure about what will happen as you are. He does not understand what has happened or how you have made it so. He may fear that you will turn your beasts on him. If you want to remain _Khaleesi_ , you must act like it. Remind him of who you are, and who you are to him."

Dany nodded. "I would like to see a bath drawn before we leave," She commanded "and bring me my finest riding gear. And my silver. I would like my bells strung on a chain I can wear. And I wish to wear my tiara."

Jirri smiled "Yes _Khaleesi_ , so it shall be."

She exited the tent shortly, holding Rhaello in one arm with a harness across her shoulder, her dragons flapping and nipping at each other behind her. She would not ride in the carts, or with a handmaid, she knew. She would ride at the very head of the _khalasar_.

Rhaello looked up at her, eyes wide and bright, waving her tiny fists. She would have to become accustomed to riding a horse as soon as possible. Normally, her husband should have taken Rhaello for her first ride moments after she was born, he would have held their son above his head, shouting his name for all the _khalasar_ to hear. He would have made it so that riding felt as normal as being carried to their child. But Dany would have to do it herself.

With the help of Doreah, she mounted her silver. She found that someone had added a section of padding for her to sit on and for that she was grateful. Even with the padding, she was still very tender and riding was near agony. She looked into her daughters eyes, and kicked into her silvers sides, driving her forward to catch up to the lead. Her dragons perched in large baskets attached to her saddles.

By then the camp was mostly packed away, save for a few stragglers, and they were off again. People stared and whispered as she passed, but she held her chin high and only looked forward, keeping her back as straight as she could. Soon she was the first rider in the _khalasar_. People parted for her, but whether it was out of fear or respect, she couldn't say.

Somewhere during her ride, Jorah Mormont had spotted her and moved to join her. For a moment he simply stared at her, then he let out a giant breath he had been holding.

" _Khaleesi_. I thank the gods that you are alright. I scarcely recognized you without your beautiful hair, eh?"

He was trying to joke, trying to make light of the situation. He smiled wide, but his eyes were wary and unsure. She met those eyes and stared him down, unwavering.

"I am sorry I did not come see you sooner. I was angry, I still am, that was a damn fool thing to do. I'm still not sure if it was worth the risk. But when I saw you come from the flames, holding a child and three dragons, it was like seeing a goddess rise from the ashes of a grave. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I've known for a long time that you would make a good ruler, but now I know it is your god-given destiny to rule. I will do everything within my power to keep you safe and see you reclaim your birthright. I would help you conquer the world, if you wished it"

He bowed his head, she knew he would offer her his sword if they were on foot.

"As long as I live I will not see you harmed, this I swear, Khaleesi. I am sorry I ever doubted you."

"Look at me, Ser Jorah. I hold no ill will, and I have never once doubted your loyalty. But I was lonely in that tent."

She turned so he could see the babe.

"Her name is Rhaello, she looks like him, does she not?"

Rhaello was squirming and cooing happily. She liked to be always moving, whether she was being rocked or carried, so she seemed to be comfortable on horseback already.

"She's as beautiful as her mother and as fierce as her father." Jorah confirmed, "And what have you named your three other children? You know they are calling you the mother of dragons, _Rothno au Khaleesi_ , or the unburnt queen. Some of them are prepared to worship you as a god."

She nodded. "Then I shall become worthy of worship."

At this Jorah laughed, a great bark and bellow.

" _Khaleesi_ , you have been something worth worshipping since the day you were born. That I do not doubt."

She looked at her dragons, curled up tightly together in one basket, sleeping.

"I have named the white one Viserion and the green one Rhaegon, for my brothers. And I have named the black one Drogon, for my husband. I do not know how to discern their gender, but I think they are all males."

"Speaking of your husband, Khaleesi, he draws near now. Should I turn him away?"

And so he was. He had moved from the sidelines to the front, and was almost level with her. She found his eyes, his hard, mean, accusatory eyes that seemed to say _how could you?_ But instead of looking away, she jutted her chin out towards him and straightened her back further. A challenge. She was tired of looking away. But he would not either, and they were locked for some time. Eventually he fell back, back to the sidelines where he could observe and govern his people.

She sighed. A small victory, but a hollow one. _I will need more than small victories to keep her safe_. As if she could hear her thoughts, Rhaello keened loudly, wanting to be fed. Her cries woke the dragons, and then they wanted to be fed too.


	3. Chapter 3

That evening, she sat in her tent. After a hard day of riding, she was grateful for her soft furs and her warm bath. Jhiri washed her back and Doreah rubbed her sore feet as she fed Rhaello. The dragons slept in a pile in the corner, full on charred horsemeat. She found that they refused to eat the meat raw, they would eat it cooked with some coaxing, but if she charred it black they would devour any portion she put before them.

The tent opened, and Drogo entered, almost cautiously. He stood at the mouth of the tent for a moment, meeting her eyes. His back was straight, he was at full height and was trying to appear intimidating. He stared directly at her, but his brow and jaw told her he was nervous. Their eyes were locked again in a battle of wills, though what he was battling, she was unsure. He finally looked away, but it was their child he set his gaze on now.

"What is her name?" he croaked eventually, almost a hoarse whisper.

"Rhaello." She replied "For my brother. He was a mighty warrior who was slain before I was born. It is a powerful name. The name of a ruler."

Something softened in his eyes "Rhaello." He murmured, "It is a good name."

He walked towards them, and sat before her cross legged, so they were eye to eye. Just like their wedding night.

"Moon of my life, beautiful wife, I do not know what to do. I do not know how to feel. Nothing seems right. I would die for you and this child, I know. But that is not how it should be."

"You should feel like a father to your child. You should feel love and pride and happiness. You should weep with relief, knowing that I've survived, and be overcome with joy knowing that I've brought you an heir."

"But she is not my son. She cannot be an heir." He replied sadly, "The others, they will not follow a _Khal_ with no _Khalakka_. They will not follow me if I stand by you. They will never follow her."

She stood then, so she could look down on him. She had never thought she would be furious with her husband, but the rage was upon her, hot as dragon's fire. Her words were sharp and cracked like a whip.

"No, they will not. If you hang your head down and stay your distance. Is the strongest man I know really afraid of a baby girl? Hold her, and me, proudly in your heart. Have you no honour? Do not let the words and thoughts of others make you into a weak man that I know you are not. Do not hide in our shadows, afraid to acknowledge we exist because some may not like it. If you refuse to be ashamed, they cannot shame you."

She went to her knees, picked up Rhaello and held their daughter out.

"Hold her. Touch her. She is yours as much as I am."

He hesitated, then took her in his arm. Her whole body was the length of one of his hands from the tip of his finger to his wrist. He ran a finger down her cheek.

"Rhaello." He whispered, his voice breaking. He continued to stroke her cheek and stare at her, Dany thought she might of seen wetness in the corners of his eyes.

"She is healthy and strong," Dany stated "most do not wish for more than that."

"She is beautiful, like my moon." Drogo cooed.

She leaned forward then, placed her hands on the back of his neck and tenderly kissed his forehead.

"And she will be as fierce as her father. She may not be a boy, but she is still a stallion. She is still our child, our heir and the heir to the iron throne."

"A stallion." He repeated quietly, "The stallion who shall mount the world."

He stood and walked out of the tent, holding Rhaello above his head and cried out

" _Khalakki dothrae!_ " _The princess is riding! "The stallion who shall mount the world!_ "

She stepped out behind him to the shouts of the other Dothraki. There were only a few at first, but soon others joined in.

" _Khalakki dothrae!" "Khalakki haj!" "Khaleesi haj!" A strong princess! A strong queen!_

The shouting travelled through the _khalasar_ until the night rang with the sound of their voices. Khal Drogo cried

"A queen who shall fly across the black salt water in wooden horses, and sit on the iron chair her mothers father sat on and join all the Dothraki in one herd! I will do this thing, this I promise you! I, Khal Drogo, will seat a Targaryen queen!"

He turned to her, his eyes dark. Smoldering.

"Moon of my life." He said simply, his voice deeper than usual, "Come here."

"Doreah," Dany ordered, "Take Rhaello to her bed."

She walked towards him, her _Khal_ , with her shoulders back and her head high. She reached up towards his neck and he took her in his arms, pulling her up so that their eyes were level, his hands grasping her small hips. And she kissed him, fiercely, in front of the whole _khalasar_. Her legs wrapped around his waist. She could hear men cheering, some whooping, she didn't care.

He groaned deeply into her mouth, and kissed down her neck, along the length of her jaw, just below her ear, biting deeply and leaving marks with each one. She felt his manhood pressing against her leg, and his fingers as they brushed away her wisps of silk and his belt and then he was inside her.

He eased himself slowly, and pulled back to look in her eyes, his brow furrowed slightly in concern, but she groaned and began to move her hips against him. He responded by meeting her rhythm with his arms, exaggerating her movements. He cupped her small buttocks, his fingers digging into her soft flesh, as he brought her down on him. She slid along his length slowly, savoring the feeling, before he slammed back into her, making her gasp. It stung and ached, but it only made the whole thing more real for her.

It was over quickly and when the moment of his pleasure came, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled back, his lips and teeth found her throat, making her cry out. She lay there with him still inside her, her arms and legs wrapped around him. He stroked her neck and held her close. He began to let her down, and then decided against it, gathering her in his arms like a babe, with her head cradled against his chest. He walked to the river.

People parted for them, and it was a short walk, with the eyes of the entire _khalasar_ on them, it seemed. He waded into the warm, calm water that way without undressing until the water came up to her shoulders, and they stood there for a short while. He cradled her in one arm and massaged her feet and calves with his free hand, rubbing the dirt and aches from them.

"My life, did I hurt you?" He asked.

"No," she replied. "It aches, but it is a good ache."

He lowered her head to wet her scalp. His hand ran along her shoulders and back to rid her of the sweat, kneading his knuckles into her neck and shoulders along the way. She relaxed and lay her head back as his hand travelled back down along her body, finding the wetness between her thighs and gently rubbing back and forth along her sex. His fingers just barely touched her, trailing along the skin and raising goosebumps. His thumb pressed down slightly over her clitoris and moved in tiny circles. She moaned.

"It is good, moon of my life?" He growled, almost a purr.

"Yes, my love." Dany sighed, smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

"South?" Dany was exasperated. "But we must go _west_ , towards the narrow sea. My kingdom is not _south_."

She knew Jorah of all people would understand, her husband had been deaf to her objections. He simply stated that they were going south and left it at that. She didn't understand.

"Peace Khaleesi, you must listen." Jorah insisted.

"Look at me. We will go home. I promise you. But to the west there is nothing but the Dothraki sea until we reach Qohor. It is too far. We must first go to Kayakayanaya to stock up on supplies. Then we must skirt around the red waste, visiting the cities and receiving tributes. It is the way it has always been. Up here, in Vaes Dorthrak, we have not had to worry about these things. But out there, in the great sea, there is nothing but grass and other _khalasars_."

Dany was heartbroken. For some reason, she thought they might begin to go home immediately. But she knew he was right.

"Besides princess, Rhaello and the dragons are only a few weeks old. We may have dragons on our side, but they won't be ready for any wars or ships for some time. We will arrive in Kayakayanaya in only a few weeks."

Dany sighed. "I understand Ser, forgive me. I want to go home so badly."

She could feel tears behind her eyes, she had been so close. She felt Jorah cup her chin in hand, lifting her head so that her eyes met his. He skimmed a thumb across her cheek to wipe away a tear. But then it continued to stroke back and forth across her cheek, the tender gesture surprised her. She saw an almost pained expression on his face, his eyes seemed strained. She suspected for some time that the knight desired her, she understood why he would want her body as he had no wife or mate in the _khalasar_. But this was unexpected.

"Ser," she murmured quietly.

He released her chin, and averted his gaze.

"I'm sorry _Khaleesi_ , that was improper of me. I cannot bear to see you this way, I want so badly to take away your pain and give you your home. It frustrates me too, that I must wait. When I see you in pain like that… I feel like I could take on a whole army by myself. But I also feel like I could shatter into a million pieces. You truly are..."

He hesitated, unsure of himself.

"Go on Jorah, tell me." She coaxed gently.

She felt a slight fluttering in her chest, it was foreign and exciting. He turned, so that his dark eyes met hers again, they had a fire in them she hadn't seen before. His jaw was set and his brow was furrowed.

"My princess… my queen. You are the most beautiful and fearsome creature I have ever encountered. You appear as a girl, small and slight, stunning in her Targaryen beauty. You have a gentle heart and a kind soul, but you are as strong and fierce as the dragons of old. I feel half a child when you gaze at me sometimes. A single word from you could make me feel just as powerful as a god. Or it could crush me, if you wanted it to."

He seemed feverish now, his words spilled out quickly as if they were trying to escape.

"I don't understand what this madness is, how I could have let it happen, but it did. I'm mad, and will probably get myself exiled, but I would die for you, Khaleesi. And I would kill to hold you in my arms. If I still owned my land and wealth, I would give it up again just to ride by your side."

Now that he had finished he seemed wary, scared. She processed this for a moment, and then spoke very slowly and deliberately.

"Ser Jorah, you are my knight, my guardian, my advisor and a trusted friend. You can't let this be. I am the wife of your Khal."

He went to his knee, with his head down. "My queen, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"As far as anyone is concerned," she cautioned, "you didn't."

She turned and mounted her silver, and rode off to find her tent and her husband. Her head was swimming. He didn't desire her the way a man might desire a beautiful body, he loved her as a husband would love a wife. It couldn't be, Drogo would kill him if he thought Jorah might try anything. She didn't understand this swooping sensation in her belly and chest, she supposed she was feeling sick with the thought of it.

Later, as she lie next to her husband, she allowed her mind to wander. She wondered what it might be like to lie with the knight. He was almost as big as her Drogo, though he was certainly closer to her in height. Where Drogo was smooth, the knight's chest, stomach, arms, legs and face were covered in hair. Some of it on his chest was thick and wiry, she wondered if the hair on other areas was softer. She found herself wondering if he grew much hair under his smallclothes, too.

She flushed at the thought, embarrassed by herself. But they were only thoughts. And he had touched her so gently earlier, her pelvic muscles clenched at the memory of his hand on her face. Would he be gentle in all of his touching? Drogo sometimes held her so tightly he left bruises on her arms and hips. Though, she liked that too. She traced a bruise on her breast where Drogo had bitten her earlier, it was still tender and sweet. Her hand rested over her heart and found it racing.

Her other hand travelled down between her thighs and she found herself to be wet. She traced along her sex with one finger, gently, as if it were the knight touching her instead. She circled the finger around her clitoris, her breathing coming deep and ragged. She pushed it inside her, imagining it was him, too. She still ached from her lovemaking with Drogo, but the pain was sweet. She found her sex was swollen and hard, almost like how Drogos got when he desired her. Her fingers were so small, she inserted two more so they would feel more like one of Jorahs large ones.

She was panting now, and she felt Drogo stirring next to her. She got up and sidled over, so she sat on his lap. She rubbed her wetness along the length of his shaft, making it stiffen slightly. Drogos eyes opened slightly, and then popped open when he realized what she was doing.

"My love," he stammered, not sure what to say.

She was sure seeing her on top of him, wet and gasping with desire, was an unexpected sight. But she felt him harden immediately, and he took on that dark determined expression he wore when he made love to her.

"Let me." He said simply, sitting up.

As he moved up, he placed a hand on her back and lowered her down. He backed away so that she was lying on her back and he was on his knees before her.

"What has happened to you, moon of my life?"

His fingers found her sex, and he groaned loudly when he found how wet she was, his manhood throbbed visibly.

"I will explain later, my sun and stars. Just…. Please." She gasped, "Please."

His expression changed, became something darker. The corners of his mouth turned and she saw that he was grinning wickedly.

"No, my love, I think not. I have not had you like this before, it would please me to discover how you taste at this time."

His hands parted her thighs, and he spread himself out so that he was lying down too, with his nose trailing along her sex. He inhaled deeply and groaned, making her whimper. Then his tongue trailed up and down, back and forth along her. She squirmed, and his large hands clasped her small ones, holding them still against the bed. He took her clitoris in his mouth and gently flicked it with his tongue, slowly at first but then more rapidly. She thought she was going to burst with the feeling of it, and something inside of her tightened, building pressure just below her stomach.

" _Please_!" she cried out, unable to contain it.

He turned her over, and when he came up and entered her, she cried out so loudly she thought the whole _khalasar_ must have heard, but she didn't care. He moved more fiercely than usual, pushing her shoulders down so that her face pressed against the furs. The pressure was burning below her navel, and a wave of pleasure washed over her when it released, causing her to quiver and scream. Drogo grunted loudly, and she felt his pleasure come as well, so that his seed filled her and ran down along her thighs.

They both collapsed, panting. He held out his arms towards her. She crawled over, settling herself in the nook of his arm, and soon fell asleep, exhausted.


	5. Chapter 5

The morning light was in her eyes when she woke, but it was Rhaello crying that got her to leave the comfort of her furs. She found her infant in her bed, and the crying ceased when Dany approached. Instead she waved her tiny, fat fists in the air and squealed with delight.

Dany smiled and took Rhaello into her arms to feed her. She was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, more so than even her dragons, who continued to sleep soundly next to Rhaellos bed. They found that the dragons would not leave the childs side except to go with Dany. They were exceptionally gentle with her but snapped at anyone else that came near, so Dany was happy to have them sleep next to her.

They were growing fast, already they were all the size of large cats, and they consumed a horse a week between the three of them. Rhaello was growing too, the fuzz on her head was an odd colour, not quite silver, not quite pale copper. There wasn't enough of it to tell what colour it was, and it looked different depending on how the light hit it.

Her own silver hair was growing back as a fuzz too, though a bit faster than her daughters. She marvelled at how strong and fierce the small child was, she fussed often and wasn't happy to hold still for long. Her cries were sharp and she bellowed as loud and deeply as any full grown man when she was hungry. Drogo rose behind her.

"My love, how is she this morning?" He asked, still murmuring sleepily, he stifled a yawn.

"She is as bright and full of energy as yesterday, possibly more so." Dany replied, "We will have a hard time containing her when she is old enough to walk and run."

Drogo grinned. "We will not have to. People will learn to move aside for her, otherwise they may be run over."

Dany leaned into him as she fed Rhaello.

"Something happened last night that I do not understand, you clenched around me in a way you have not since the night of our first ride. Did I hurt you?"

He was often concerned, she knew, about hurting her. Though that concern did not prevent him from riding her as hard as he drove his warhorse.

"No, my love. It was pleasure that made me clench that way, it was very enjoyable."

His face lit up at that "Then I will be pleased to discover how to make you do it again. What came over you last night, moon of my life? Tell me."

She shuffled her feet and looked away. "I cannot." She started "You would not like it. I found myself thinking about someone."

She chanced a peek at his face, but found that he seemed amused, not angry.

"Is that so my love? Tell me, who? I would like to know."

She was confused. "You're not angry? Why?"

He sat down cross legged, and brought her into his lap.

"My love, it does not concern me what you find pleasurable. I am only concerned with giving you pleasure, whatever it may be from. And, I am very curious. As the Khaleesi, you could have anyone you desired in the _khalasar_ , just like I may lie with any woman. However, if someone touched you in a way you did not desire, I would have to cut off their hand and force them to eat it."

She was shocked. This was certainly not the reaction she expected. She was still a bit hesitant, but…

"I was thinking of Ser Jorah, the knight from Westeros. He wiped a tear from my face and I found it delighted me."

She could feel her face burning, she was sure it was completely red. But Drogo barked out a laugh.

"My love, moon of my life, I do not blame you. Now come, let us prepare Rhaello to ride. We have a long ways to travel before we reach Kayakayanaya."

The heat was stifling. Dany's hair was as short as an unblooded boys, it just brushed against her ears. But she refused to wear a scarf or hood. Instead she bore her short hair proudly, it was a reminder that her flesh withstood the flames, she thought. Though, she did not mind the breeze on her neck, especially in the heat.

They were drawing onto Kayakayanaya and would arrive in a day or two. She realized how foolish her earlier ambition of trekking through the Dothraki sea was, in only five weeks of travel they were badly in need of supplies. The _khalasar_ was slow. They did not travel on the Steel Road, for the thousands of horses would destroy it. But they were nearby, and Dany occasionally saw fur-clad warriors escorting travelers back and forth across it. These travelers were much faster than they were, and making camp every evening only to break camp again in the morning made their slow pace turn into a crawl. It has always been like this, but Dany supposed her newfound determination to reach Westeros made this journey arduous.

Rhaello was fully accustomed to sleeping, feeding and travelling on horseback now. She seemed to find the rocking of her silver soothing. When she fussed and cried, Dany could go for a ride with her, and she would relax and fall asleep.

"If you look hard enough, you can see the outline of the city in the distance." Ser Jorah had pulled up to ride beside her. "They say Kayakayanaya is a strange city, full of fierce warrior maidens and eunuchs. The women defend the city and learn how to fight and rule, the eunuchs serve them as scribes and scholars. Only the healthiest boys are kept intact for breeding purposes, which is about one out of every hundred."

"I think I like the sound of this city," Dany teased, "Maybe Rhaello and I shall become warrior maidens, riding on dragons and searching for healthy men to bring back to the city."

Jorah grinned at her "They also say the women cut rubies into their cheeks and wear iron rings in their nipples, tongues and sex."

Dany's eyebrows shot up and her face went red. "I'm not so sure about becoming a warrior maid anymore." She stammered.

She sighed dramatically, which got a laugh from Ser Jorah. True to her word, Jorah made no indication that he confided in her before. He continued to guard and counsel her, and didn't press his suit in any way. Dany often saw Drogo watching them ride together with his brows knitted together and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. She didn't know what to make of it, but she supposed that as long as nothing happened she wouldn't have to worry about it.

"Speaking of dragons, how are yours faring _Khaleesi_?"

At this she couldn't help but smile. "They're growing stronger every day, but they're going to eat every horse in the _khalasar_. They're starting to attempt to fly, though they haven't gotten off the ground yet."

The three babies continued to grow like the ghost grass of the Dothraki Sea. If they were stronger and not as spindly, Rhaello could have ridden on their backs. People were frightened of them, as they snapped and hissed at strangers. Dany had taught them a few basic commands, but whether they chose to listen or not was a different manner. She worried a little about how fast they were growing, and how wild they were becoming.

"It will go easier when they can follow us in the air, the distance will make people feel better."

Off to the side, she saw Drogo approaching them. Something about him made Dany think of a child up to no good.

"Moon of my life," he greeted. "Is the knight bothering you? What wild stories is he telling you? I could have his tongue cut out if they displease you."

She was definitely red in the face now. She searched for something to say back, but Jorah spoke first.

"We were talking about how she wants to have iron rings pierced into her nipples, so she may search for strong, healthy men that could be used for breeding purposes."

Dany froze in terror, looking up at Drogo. She could never tell what he was thinking.

"My love, if you must pierce your nipples, pierce one. That way I will still have one to enjoy."

Dany sat there, silent, her eyes wide as the two men both laughed loudly, with their similar bark-like bellow of a laugh. They clapped each other on the back and Drogo rode off to observe the _khalasar_.

"I have been surrounded by men my whole life, but I doubt I'll ever understand them." Dany grumbled.

She had thought she understood Drogo, at least.

"Worry not _Khaleesi_ , your husband has a lighter side to him, it just doesn't show very often. Should we settle soon to make camp? We're only a short ways to Kayakayanaya, but we should arrive fresh and prepared to meet its matriarch."


	6. Chapter 6

"Moon of my life," Drogo called out. "I wish for you to meet someone."

Dany exited her tent. She wore her favorite painted vest, a heavy belt of copper medallions, and a flowing lavender silk skirt to bring out her eyes. Her arms were adorned in tight silver bands, evenly spaced out from her wrist to shoulder. On her head, she wore a tiara, a gift she had received that had pleased her. It was a fine, delicate thing that wrapped around her forehead like a band. It was made of fine, intricate silver wires that wrapped around three amethysts. Her three bells hung around her neck on a fine chain, they chimed softly when she moved. They would return to her hair when it was long enough to braid again. It was a wonderful change of pace, and she had never been presented to a city like this before. She wished to make a lasting impression.

Drogo gestured to the two women at his sides.

"I bring to you Lillouet and Athnash, warrior maidens native to Kayakayanaya who have been travelling with us for the past three years. They will accompany us into the city and to the feast tonight."

The women appeared as Dothraki from a distance, but up close Dany saw that they both had darker skin. The woman to the left had faint freckles, with a long nose and narrow, catlike eyes. Her inky black hair was cropped short on the sides, with a longer mane running along the middle, ending at the small of her back in a long braid. In her braid, Dany counted nineteen bells. She was almost as tall as Drogo. The other woman was shorter, she had the same dark skin and narrow eyes as the first, though she lacked freckles. But her eyes appeared to be a lighter brown, her nose was like a small round button and her hair was like burnished copper. Rather than braid it, she let the tight curls form a wild mane around her head that stood straight up in the air in some areas. In her hair Dany saw a couple small braids of silk and thread woven into the curls that held her bells. Dany counted twenty-seven. Both women were heavily muscled, wearing typical Dothraki garb, but they held large round iron shields and double ended spears. Their horsehair leggings appeared to holster several knives and both women carried a bow and quiver on their backs. They also carried large akrahs on their hips.

" _Khaleesi_ ," The woman with the freckles said "I am Lillouet, and it is an honour to meet the unburnt queen, and the mother of dragons and the stallion who shall mount the world."

The other woman, who must be Athnash spoke as well.

"We would be honoured to accompany you into the city as a guard and as allies. We also wish you offer you our weapons and support in your claim to the iron throne. We will fight with you to see that _Khalakki_ Rhaello rules the seven kingdoms, rather than stay in Kayakayanaya."

"The honour is mine." Dany replied. "I have never met a citizen of Kayakayanaya, I did not know that their warriors travelled. You will have to tell me about it. I would love to have you accompany us into the city."

The women nodded politely and Dany left to prepare Rhaello for the ride.

Their party consisted of Drogo, his bloodriders and Ko, Dany, Jorah, their two guests, four Dothraki men visiting their children and four other warrior maidens who were returning to their city. The ride was a few hours, so Dany got to ask the warriors about their lives, which she found incredibly fascinating.

"On your fifteenth name day, you undergo a trial if you choose to. Some women do not wish to be warriors, so they are educated by the eunuchs instead. But if you pass your trial, you are given a ten year hiatus in which you may take several paths. You may be assigned to a family as a guard and enlisted in the city guard in case of an attack. You may travel, you may continue to train in an area of interest, or you could join the group of warriors that patrol the nearby villages."

"Are those the only choices?" Dany asked "What happens after ten years?"

"Oh, you could choose to do almost anything and the elders would not deny you. But those are the most common. Our freedom to choose is what keeps the warriors so dedicated to the city. Most women will retire after their hiatus to teach the next generation of warriors or to pursue motherhood. Many women come back early because they are bearing children."

"Do they bring their husbands back with them?"

"No, we do not typically take husbands." Lillouet was as eager to answer Danys questions as she was in asking them, and it was nice to speak with someone in the common tongue.

"We believe the healthiest warriors come from a variety of family lines. Athnash and I share a mother, but her father is a westerner. Mine was a man from Braavos. We trust our travellers to choose strong, healthy fathers and encourage them to partner with foreigners. If they do not wish to travel, there are men in the city who have been chosen from around the world to provide coupling. But they may only father five children, in order to keep the family lines diverse."

"Why do you travel with the Dothraki? Why not on your own?"

"Our people and the Dothraki have been working closely together since the earliest times. Many of our available fathers are Dothraki warlords passing by or their _Khalakka_. We respect and honour each other greatly. Our women leave to become Dothraki, and your women will come to the city to become mothers. Our people share blood. It was the Dothraki women who originally settled and created our city."

"Wow," Dany breathed "It sounds incredible. Why did you leave?"

Athnash responded this time. "We have no wishes for motherhood, and we still have five name days in order to decide our destinies. We were the best in our year, but only because our mother was cruel and pushed us too hard. We would rather see the world."

"When did you start training?"

"We begin basic lessons in our fourth year, and we begin actual combat in our sixth year." Lillouet replied. "In our twelfth year we take only combat classes or only scholarly classes. After we pass our combat trials, we may pursue masters to apprentice for. Our mother was a master of the _athnash_ , my sisters namesake. It is a type of spiked mace."

"Do many women choose to become scholars?"

"Very few. But even the wise women are able to fight if we needed to defend the city."

Dany's head was reeling, it was so backwards from what she had been raised with. But as she continued to learn about the city, she became more excited about visiting it.

"Tell me about your matriarch, I am very excited to meet her."

She was riding very close to Lillouet with Rhaello on her back. Athnash rode behind them, she was very quiet. Lillouet was over a head taller than Dany, her body was wiry but her arms were thicker than Dany's thigh. She also noticed that she smelled faintly of fresh baked bread and mint. Lillouet looked at Dany with a kind, endearing smile. Dany almost flushed.

"Our current matriarch, Jineah, is wise and fierce. She has seen forty name days, and has served us for fifteen. She was chosen by the people and has been chosen again every five years, but at the next choosing she will have to step down for someone else. A matriarch may only serve for a maximum of twenty years. She spent half of her hiatus travelling and half serving the city and training with five different weapons. She is also the mother to one son, who will father five children, and five daughters who are all in training to become warriors. She governs us with advice from the elders and her partner Mae, who has a son and daughter of her own that both serve the city."

"She sounds impressive. And intimidating." Dany wondered what she would think of her, small, soft and pale as she was. She straightened her back some more. All of her power was in her blood and her words.

"She is. But she is also kind, humble and wise. She will be delighted to meet the mother of dragons, I think. She will also enjoy having another beautiful woman at her table."

Dany definitely flushed this time. "What do you mean? Is Mae her partner or her lover?"

"Both." Lillouet replied simply. "It is very common for women to share a household and a bed in our city. Some households hold four or five women, and all their children. We work together. Some women share a home temporarily with a father or a eunuch but it's not common."

"Of course." Dany replied, trying not to appear flustered. "How else would it be?"

Lillouet smiled again at her. "I am aware that it is not a typical way, Khaleesi, but I hope you will respect it for what it is."

At this Dany straightened her back even more and regained her composure, trying to hold herself as tall as she could. "If I am going to travel to all these cities, I wish to learn their ways. I want nothing to seem strange to me, nothing to be foreign."

"That is very wise of you, _Khaleesi_." Lillouet nodded approvingly. "You would make a very good _Khayaknay_ , or matriarch."

"I haven't heard that word before, is it a Dothraki one?"

"Our tongue in the city is the bastard of the common tongue and Dothraki, so in a way yes. Kayakayanaya means wise mother city. Our people are fluent in Dothraki and the common tongue, but we mostly speak our own. Many also speak Valyrian."

"Your Grace," Jorah called "We are approaching the city."

Dany rode to the front of their party. They soon reached the walls and were greeted by two heavily armed women at the gate.

"I am Daenerys Targaryen, the mother of dragons. I travel with Khal Drogo, son of Bharbo, my husband, our geusts and six of your own. Our rider informed Jineah that we were approaching."

"Welcome to the city _Khaleesi_ Daenerys." Replied the guard on the right in the common tongue, she had light skin and dark eyes. Most of her was hidden under her armor. "Jineah is expecting you. Your mounts will be tended to by our master of horse."


	7. Chapter 7

Khayaknay Jineah was not the woman Dany was expecting.

She wore a white silk gown with a simple gold chain belt. Her sandals and the chains in her elaborately braided hair were gold as well. She was very tall and slim, with very long, shiny dark brown hair. She had olive toned skin, and narrow dark blue eyes. All of her features were small, she had a small nose, small ears, small mouth. But her arms and legs looked strong and sinewy.

She carried no weapon except a holster on her thigh that contained a very long knife, revealed by a slit in her dress. Dany could see a blue swirling tattoo peeking out from her dress on her shoulder. She also had a small blue sapphire inlaid in her right cheek just below her eye.

"Greetings _Khaleesi_.", she said warmly in smooth Dothraki. She took Dany's hand and kissed it. "I have been eager to meet you. And it is good to see you again _Khal_ Drogo, I am glad you are faring well. This is the partner-of-my-heart, Mae."

Mae was a very beautiful woman. Her lightly tanned skin was covered in freckles, especially on her shoulders and face. She had curly golden hair that hung loose down her back. Even her light brown eyes appeared to have flecks of gold in them. She was shorter than Dany, and very slight. She was not as muscular as most of the women Dany had seen. She wore very thin, wispy golden silks with sandals that laced up to her knees. She had three small rubies inlaid in each of her cheeks under her eyes. She also had a large sunflower in her hair. She carried no weapons, but she held a golden goblet that looked like it was filled with wine.

"Word has travelled about you, _Khaleesi._ " Mae cooed. Dany noticed her lips were very soft and pink. "Your daughter is as strong and beautiful as they say. And you more so. Please come join us in the dining hall."

Dany began to salivate when she saw the dinner laid before them. In honour of the Dothraki they had an entire roasted horse prepared. But there were also cooked birds, goat and pork. She saw charred fish on sticks. Everywhere Dany looked there was roasted meat. It was crisp and crusted in herbs and garlic. Dany even spotted her favorite sausages roasted with garlic and peppers. There were few vegetables, most of the food appeared to be meat, potatoes and some kind of orange potato. There were also roasted red peppers stuffed with what appeared to be chicken and lemon. A table contained pots of soups, stews and bowls of leafy vegetables. For the past few weeks, Dany had eaten little but horsemeat and rice. She went to fill a plate immediately.

When she sat down, she saw very small glasses of water at everyone's seats. Thirsty, she took a large gulp from her glass. And nearly spit it out. It burned and did not taste like anything she had drunk before. Her eyes watered and she gasped.

"Easy _Khaleesi_ , that is a drink we prepare ourselves using our potatoes we grow. It is like wine, but much more potent. We also have water, wine and clotted mares milk." Jineah cautioned. She looked genuinely concerned and slightly embarrassed. "I should have said something before setting it before those who may not be familiar with it."

Dany gasped. "I would like a glass that is half water and half wine, if you will."

Her tongue and throat were still burning. Embarrassed, she righted herself. She bit into one of the small birds she had taken and found it was stuffed with garlic and lemons. It might have been the most delicious thing she had ever eaten.

Everyone seated themselves with full plates. The Dothraki men chose mostly horsemeat and clotted mares milk. The women had a variety of dishes on their plates. Jineah and Mae seemed only interested in the leafy vegetables. Next to them sat six young women and two young men who Dany assumed were their children. There was a heavily armed guard in each of the four corners of the dining hall.

People chatted happily while Dany ate. She heard Lillouet telling stories about her travels with the Dothraki to the other women. Athnash sat in silence, focused on eating the three plates of food she had brought back with her. Drogo and Jineah chatted like old friends, Mae seemed very interested in Jorah. She seemed to have started drinking well before the meal, and she had finished four glasses of the clear liquid Dany had accidentally drank.

"You look as strong and healthy as an ox, Ser, and about as big." She swayed slightly in her seat towards Jorah. "We do not see many western men like you. Have you considered becoming a father here?"

Jorah shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his ears were red. But he was calm and polite when he replied.

"No my lady I have not. I fear I am too busy protecting the Khaleesi."

Mae pouted, but persisted. "You are staying the night, no? Much could be accomplished in one night, if a man is ambitious enough."

Jorah was trying not to meet her eyes. "I will be on guard duty tonight."

Dany decided to rescue him. "Mae, tell me about your children. They're all lovely."

Mae perked up and smiled wide at Dany. She didn't seem phased by the change in subject.

"My son, Rokah, is training to become a healer. His sister, Maileah is a beautiful performer. She can sing in three languages and dances for many lords and ladies. She is hoping to travel and perform for a few years before settling down."

Dany nodded. Such strange lives they led here. She noticed that Jineah was looking at her intently. Now that she had said something, it seems she had opened to door to chatting with everyone else.

"Tell me, Khaleesi.", Jineah said, "What do you make of the red scar in the sky?"

The comet had been named _shierak qiya,_ the Bleeding Star, by the Dothraki. Some of the older men of the _khalasar_ thought that it was an ill omen, but Dany had first seen it on the night she birthed Rhaello. The night her dragons had awakened. It pointed west, to her home. _It is a herald of Rhaello's coming,_ she told herself. _The gods have sent it to show us the way._ Doreah said that the birth of the dragons had caused it to appear, because of the magic they had brought back into the world.

"It is the heavens celebrating the new era of the dragons." She had told Dany when asked about the comet.

She had become ecstatic about the baby dragons now that she had gotten used to them. Her fear seemed to dissipate after she first fed them by hand. Now she sang to them and fed them often. They even allowed her to stroke their heads and chins.

"I believe it was sent to us by the gods, to celebrate the birth of the four dragons." She saw puzzled looks on the faces of the people around her. "They said my brother, Rhaegar, was the last dragon. But I believe this is untrue. Rhaello is the last Targaryen dragon. She was born at the same time as her three brothers hatched from their eggs. And on the night they were born, the comet appeared."

Jineah nodded with her hands under her chin. "Very interesting. The elders told me it was an omen of a terrible war, the coming of a great conqueror who would leave the world burning in their wake. They saw whole cities in flame."

"Well," Dany smiled slyly. "I suppose we are both correct then."

At this, many at the table laughed. Some of the men were red in the face with drink. Drogo smiled at Dany, his eyes were full of pride. Rhaello was sleeping in a small cot nearby with the dragons curled up beneath her. Jineah had not seemed as impressed with them as Dany expected, but she seemed to be a very calm, level headed women regardless of what was put before her. Even if it was dragons. Mae had squealed with delight and asked a lot of questions.

Dany told them the story of Rhaellos birth and of how she originally got the dragon eggs. She also gave a brief history of the Targaryens and the legacy she wished to uphold. While she spoke, everyone listened quietly, even Athnash. When she was finished, the children were wide eyed in awe.

"I had heard that you birthed the dragons yourself." Mae was red faced and glassy eyed, but she still managed to be polite even if she was blunt.

"No.", replied Dany. "And I am thankful that I did not. The eggs were bigger than Rhaello was when she was born, and there were three of them! One birthing was difficult enough on my own."

Jineah's youngest daughter was seven. She looked terrified.

Jineah laughed. "I promise it is not as bad as it sounds, Layla. I think it's time that the young ones went to bed and the adults moved on for dessert."

Dany lay across a silk cushion, nibbling a lemon tart. It had gotten very late, most of the women and men had gone to bed. Doreah, Irri and Jhiqui had taken Rhaello and the dragons to Dany's chambers with Cohollo, Haggo and Ko Pono to escort them. Qotho and Ko Mago had gone into the town in search of women to warm their beds. Mae was asleep on a cushion nearby. Jineah and Drogo were drinking wine and swapping stories still.

"You two seem to know each other well," Dany commented. Sleepy from how full she was, she was mostly content to listen quietly. But she was also extremely curious. "Tell me about how you met."

Jineah smiled. "Drogo and I grew up together. My father was _Dothrakhqoyi_ to _Khal_ Bharbo. We rode together and learned how to fight together. When the _Khal_ died, and my father with him, I came to Kayakayanaya to raise my unborn child and continue my training. I was fourteen. My eldest daughter, Linnea, was actually fathered by Drogo."

"Oh!" Dany exclaimed, red in the face. "So you two know each other very well."

Drogo looked a bit wary. He sat back with his hands on his knees in silence.

" _Khaleesi_ ," Jineah said slowly. She looked worried. "I hope you know that was many years ago, and that it means little now. We're old friends, nothing more. My daughter belongs here and has no part in your quest for the throne."

"Oh, I know. I understand." Dany explained quickly. "I just found myself imagining… you two… Well with Mae as your partner, I thought you might not…"

She felt her ears burning as she stammered. She cleared her throat.

"I thought you might have preferred female partners."

Jineah relaxed and smiled.

"I have no preference. I love women's bodies as much as I love a man's. The gods created this," She gestured to Drogo. "and it delights me. The gods created beautiful women like you," She gestured to Dany and grinned wickedly. "and it delights me as well."

"I think I understand what you mean." Dany replied quietly. She did not understand why she felt so shy around this woman. She had imagined her with Drogo, but instead of feeling angry or jealous she had felt a strange fluttering in her chest. She pictured their dark hair and skin mingling, swaying against each other like dancing partners.

"Do you now?" Jineah arched an eyebrow.

"Then I think it is time your lord husband and I decided on our gifts." She turned to Drogo and carried on as if nothing had happened.

"I have five hundred healthy, strong young men that you may do with as you please. Many of them are eager to travel and fight. I've also prepared the usual wagons of food and drink. My smiths have created some beautiful weapons that may please you."

Drogo nodded, a hand under his chin. _Oh._ Dany thought. She felt a bit disappointed. The fluttering was replaced by a strange pinching sensation. _I wonder if I offended her. Perhaps she thought I was making a suggestion._ She looked down at her feet as she listened, embarrassed.

"I find that agreeable as always." Drogo replied in his slow deep voice. He stroked one of his mustaches between his thumb and forefinger, Dany noticed out of the corner of her eye. One of his eyebrows was arched as well.

"What would you have from me, Kayaknay Jineah?" He asked.

"Gold. As usual." She replied airily, waving a hand in the air. "I know you collect some with the intention of bringing it here, since you have no real use for it."

Drogo nodded. "Of course."

"But," she continued, "I have a special request as well."

"Go on." He nodded again. Dany could see his lips curled in amusement.

"My partner has had too much to drink tonight." Jineah turned, she took Dany's chin in her hand and lifted her head up, so she looked Dany directly in the eyes. "I would find that if you and your beautiful wife were to join me in my chambers and share my bed for the night," She grinned again. "It would delight me."

Dany flushed. Drogo nodded slowly. "I would find that agreeable. But I am not the one to make that request to. Moon of my life?" He took one of Dany's hands in his large ones, stroking his thumb across her palm.

Dany's heart hammered against her chest. She could feel the fluttering again, but it was low in her stomach and spread out to her thighs. She swallowed.

"I accept."


	8. Chapter 8

Jineah's chambers were warm and lush. Everywhere there was deep red velvet and silk. She had a huge round bed in the middle, with couches and cushions strewn around the room. There were also some funny metal bars on the ceiling. On a small table, there was a jug of wine and a bowl of grapes. Jineah took Dany's hand and led her to a couch to sit. Drogo followed them quietly, his arms crossed and a small smile on his face.

"You are shivering. Are you sure this is what you want? Do you want some more wine?" She rubbed Dany's shoulder gently.

"I would like some wine. And I do want to do this." It was far too warm in the room for her shivering to be from the cold. And the pounding in her chest had only gotten deeper. Jineah shifted so she was behind Dany, and she kneaded a spot in between her shoulder blades. Dany took a deep breath and relaxed.

"I must confess, when Drogo and I were wed, my handmaid taught me how to love him better." She took a sip of wine and gathered her courage. "But no one has shown me how to love a woman."

"Oh!" Jineah exclaimed. Then she laughed lightly. "Sweet child, you will find that any body can be pleasured doing similar things regardless of how it's shaped. Here." She shifted around and tipped Dany's cup slightly as she was drinking, causing her to spill wine along her jaw and chest. She leaned down and gently kissed Dany between her small breasts. She licked the wine off of her, going up along her neck and jaw. Then she continued delivering small kisses behind Dany's ear, gently nibbling the lobe on her way. Dany sighed.

"Did that feel good, or bad?" Jineah pulled back and cradled Dany's cheek in her palm.

"Good." Dany almost whispered, her breath catching in her throat. "Could you do it again?"

Jineah laughed again and repeated the gesture. This time she continued down along Dany's jaw, kissing lightly and nipping gently with her teeth with each kiss. She pushed Dany's vest back and lowered her head again to kiss Dany in the furrow between her breasts, she took one of her nipples in between her teeth and bit gently.

"Oh!" Dany gasped. "That feels… so good!" Her breathing was coming deeply, more like panting.

Drogo sat himself on the bed nearby and watched in silence, but his brow was furrowed intently. Jineah stood up in front of Dany.

"Undress me, then." She cooed.

Dany reached for her silks with fumbling hands. Her skin was so soft, and so warm. She seemed to radiate heat. Jineahs dress fell to the floor in a bundle. Dany ran her hands up along her thighs and hips, and Jineah reached down to stroke Dany's head and cheeks. She kissed her belly lightly, unsure of herself. But Jineahs soft moan of pleasure lit a fire under Dany, and she kissed up along the midline of her stomach, up towards her chest.

"Please keep doing that." Jineah gasped, "Only go in the other direction." Her voice was strained, her breathing was more like small gasps. Dany looked at the small space between her legs, it was soft and hairless. She flushed.

"I don't believe I know what to do in that direction."

"Then lie back and I'll show you."

Dany reclined on the couch obediently. Jineah stepped out of her belt and skirt and moved back until she was at Dany's feet. She took one in her hands and gently kneaded the sole for a minute. Dany sighed and felt herself relax further. Jineah kissed her ankle, and proceeded to kiss Dany's leg. With each kiss, she moved closer to Dany's thighs, and in between the kisses she ran her tongue lightly up her leg.

"Does that feel good or bad _Khaleesi_?" Jineah asked. She was smiling mischievously.

"Good." Dany panted. "Please continue."

Jineah kissed the inside of Dany's thigh. She ran her tongue up along the apex of it and her sex, and blew gently on the spot causing Dany to moan. She repeated herself, but along Dany's sex. Her tongue stopped and began to flick back and forth, right _there_. Dany felt a finger slip inside her and begin to move. She cried out and reached towards Drogo, who had moved so that he stood over her head. He stooped down and took her face in his hands, kissing her fully on the mouth, silencing her whimpers. Dany pushed him back and reached for his pants, pushing them away so that his manhood was exposed. She took him in her mouth the way Doreah had shown her.

"I'm not sure if I know how to continue your grace." Jineah said sheepishly, pulling back slightly a few minutes later. "I may require a demonstration from your lord husband on how you two would proceed."

She sat back on the floor and Drogo took her place. He shifted Dany's legs so that her knees were swung over his shoulders. He ran his tongue around in small circles on her. Dany squirmed. He pulled back, wrapping her legs around his waist and entered her, moving slowly.

"Jineah." He grunted. His voice seemed strained as well. "Come sit."

He gathered Dany in his arms and lifted her up, so that a space was available on the couch. Jineah sat back against the arm of it, while Drogo twisted Dany around so she faced Jineah. She sat on her knees, with Drogo still moving behind her, and Jineahs thighs before her. She put her hands on Jineahs knees and parted them, and leaned down to try and replicate the flicking motion Jineah had done to her. Jineah was panting, her face and chest were flushed. She reached back and grabbed a fistful of the fabric on the couch. Dany tried to mimic the thing she had done with her fingers.

" _Khaleesi!"_ Jineah cried out. "Just… like that. I'm.." She began squirming, Dany held her down with her free hand and continued. Jineah began to shake, and a few minutes later her back arched and she cried out. She collapsed and lay there panting.

Dany pulled away from Drogo and crawled up towards Jineah. She took her face in her hands and kissed her with a fury she hadn't expected. Jineah moaned into her mouth and wrapped her arms around Dany's neck. She was covered in sweat. Drogo shifted so that he was under Dany.

"Oh!" Jineah gasped as he began to move again, though not in Dany this time. He leaned down and kissed Dany's neck, with his chest pressed against her back.

Dany took Jineahs face between her hands and a grin came across her face. She kissed Jineahs forehead, her nose, her mouth, everywhere she could reach she planted small kisses. Few of them found the spot she had intended, as they were all shifting back and forth together. She giggled like a child.

"What is it _Khaleesi_?" Jineah panted in between her moans.

"This… this is wonderful!" Dany kissed her again. Jineah giggled and kissed her back.

Later, Dany lay there with her head on Jineah's chest, cradled in the crook of her arm. Drogo lay behind her with his chest against her back, his arms wrapped around the two of them. It was extremely comfortable. And warm. She sighed deeply, nuzzled into Jineah's hair and fell back asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

"Widen your stance _Khaleesi_!" Lillouet shouted. Dany turned to look at her in frustration, she did not think her legs could widen much more, unless she did not wish to move. But when she did, Athnash dove in to knock the sword out of her hand and poke her in the gut. It wasn't much of a poke, but it made her cry out none the less. She fell backwards onto the sand.

"When you are moving backwards, you must always keep your eyes on your opponent." Athnash remarked. She reached down to help Dany up. "Did I hurt you, _Khaleesi_?"

"No," Dany replied. "Drogo has seen to that." She was insulted when her husband insisted that she wear leather coverings while she trained, but over the past two weeks she had become privately grateful. The swords they practiced with were no more than wooden sticks, but they still gave Dany welts and bruises.

" _Khaleesi_ ," Lillouet had come rushing over. "Are you hurt? Do we need to stop?" Her face was full of concern. Though she was the larger and more formidable looking sister, she had also turned out to be the kinder of the two. She was incredibly gentle with Dany, so the only way she got any real practice was to spar with Athnash.

"I am fine, let us begin again." Dany said as she hoisted herself back up with Athnash's assistance. Lillouet smiled gently.

" _Ma dan_." She sighed. Dany flushed. Lillouet often called her this, it meant " _My gem_.". Lillouet often commented on how Dany's eyes resembled the precious stones that the women of Kayakayanaya coveted so much.

"I know you are determined to learn, but you have us to protect you. We will always be at your side." Lillouet sighed again.

"You are right. You will be at my side. And I will be at your side, fighting with you, when the day comes." Dany was tired of other people protecting her, and she had those she wished to protect as well. She looked over at the small tent that provided shade for her handmaidens, who sat with Rhaello and her dragons.

"We will try once more, at least." Dany insisted. She picked up her sword. "Ready yourself."

Later, Dany stood on the hot sand, the sun soothed her bruises. No matter how long she spent outside of her tent, her skin remained as pale as it had always been. And she spent a lot of time outside, the heat was delightful. She noticed a shadow, and turned to see Ser Jorah was approaching.

" _Rothno au Khaleesi_!" He called out. _The unburnt queen_. He had taken to calling her this lately. "How goes your training?"

"Very well." Dany replied. "Observe."

She turned her face to the sun and called out.

" _Amāzinon_!" _Return_!

Three small specks in the sky began to grow larger. They circled as they grew, and soon the shapes took the form of her beautiful dragons. They soared downwards towards her, and landed at her feet, looking up at her expectantly.

" _Rijes aōt_." She praised them. " _Dēmagon_." _Sit_. She tossed each dragon a small chunk of charred horsemeat from the bag she carried around her waist. They snapped them up greedily, seeming quite proud of themselves.

"Impressive." Jorah noted. There was pride in his eyes and his smile. "They understand the Valyrian?"

"I do not know." Dany replied. "But it feels right to use it, it is the language of their home and my heritage. And this way they will not accidentally react to someone speaking Dothraki nearby, thinking they are being asked to do something." She stroked their heads, no longer needing to bend down. Each of them was the size of a young foal now. They were healthy and strong, benefitting from all the exercise they got following the khalasar. It seemed as if they were a bit larger every day. Drogon was growing fastest, with the broadest shoulders and deepest chest.

"Have they made any progress producing fire?" Jorah wondered.

"Drogon has." Dany replied. "Rhaegon is as he was last week. And Viserion still has not produced any flames of his own yet. Though I often see Rhaegon charring his meat for him. I fear he will not learn any time soon at this rate." She held up a small stick in front of Drogon.

" _Drakarys_." She commended simply. Drogon made a wheezing sound for a moment, and then produced a very small stream of bright yellow flame. The stick caught fire quickly.

" _Dōre_." Dany told him. The flame stopped and she put the stick out under her foot. Drogon got another chunk of meat, which he devoured happily.

" _Ziry rijibiā_." She told the dragons, waving them away. They took off into the air and flew towards the khalasar. She needed to return to Rhaello for her dinner soon.

"They are growing strong _Khaleesi_ , you have a natural gift with them." Jorah commented. "They may very well be strong enough for battle by the time we reach Westeros. And you as well." He put a hand on Dany's shoulder.

"I have noticed how hard you are working. It does me good to know that you are learning to fight, _Khaleesi_. I am also glad to see how devoted our warrior maids are to you. I wish the _Khal's_ bloodriders were as attentive. None the less, I am proud to have you as my queen."

Dany had always felt safe in her khalasar, but there had been some in Kayakayanaya who stared at her with cold eyes. Ever since Lillouet and Athnash had heard about the attempt made on her life by the fake wine merchant, before Rhaello was born, they had taken to guarding her day and night. For that she was glad. She wished she could honour them in the way Drogo honoured his bloodriders.

"You have my thanks for your kind words Ser Jorah." She motioned for him to kneel, and she kissed his brow. "But I must take my leave of you, my daughter needs me. I will see you at dinner tonight." She turned to go, and Jorah stayed on his knee for a few moments before he rose and returned to his tent.

As Dany neared her tent, she began to think longingly of a bath. Perhaps they could get a fire going in time before dinner so she could soak her aches away as she fed Rhaello. The child did not react when Dany tested one of her toes in the hot water, so they often bathed together like this. Especially since Dany had taken to training with her sword and Rhaello had taken to playing in the dirt and sand. She did not know how she managed to get dirt in some of the places that she did. At four months old, the child was beginning to roll around and attempt to crawl and vocalize, though she had not formed any words.

" _Khaleesi_!" She heard Irri call out. "Please forgive me!"

She sounded as though she was crying. Dany rushed over to her tent to find Irri crouching on the ground, something was in her hands and all over the mat she knelt on.

"What is it my _khaleessiya_?" Dany asked urgently. She took Irris hands in her own and attempted to open her tightly clenched fists. Irri was in tears, she looked frightened.

"I was only brushing the sand from Rhaegons scales, I did not mean to brush so hard. I am so sorry, I do not know how this happened." Dany got a closer look at the small discs she was holding. They were scales, each was as large as Dany's thumb. They were a duller green when they were not on Rhaegon's body, but they were unmistakably his.

"Sweet child no, please do not cry. It is all right." Dany attempted to soothe her. Of her three handmaids, Irri feared the dragons the most. She would tend to them when she was asked, but she did not seek them out on her own like the other two girls did.

"He did not even cry out, he did not let me know I was hurting him." Irri wailed. She threw herself into Dany's arms.

"He was in no pain my dear, none at all." Dany stroked her back and tried to calm her down. "As he grows larger, the scales fall off of him and are replaced with new, bigger ones. He was not harmed." Dany continued to reassure her for a few minutes, but she heard Rhaello crying nearby.

"Doreah, please take Irri and see that she has something to eat and drink. She is in distress but has done nothing wrong. I need to tend to my daughter." Doreah took Irri's arm around her waist and led her out of the tent.

Dany had a closer look at the scales. She had seen the dragons rolling in sand a few times to loosen them, and had seen some dull and fall off, but she had not held one in her hands. It was thicker than she had expected, and smoother than a polished mirror. It was also fairly heavy, as if it were made out of iron instead of… whatever it was made of. She would not be surprised if it was made of iron, at this point. Out of curiosity, she tossed some in the fire before she left to find Rhaello. She would check on them when she returned.

Rhaello had not been far away. She napped happily in Dany's arms, full of mothers milk and a few bites of mashed horsemeat. Dany ran a wet cloth along her body as Doreah washed her back and her hair. It was long enough for her to run her fingers through for a moment.

"Doreah, can you please check on the fire and tell me if there is anything in it?" Dany asked.

"Yes, _Khaleesi_." Doreah murmured. She went over to the small pit and prodded at the wood with her iron stick.

" _Khaleesi_ , are these dragon scales?" Doreah asked.

"Yes my dear, could you bring me a few?" Dany held out her cloth. It was returned to her hand with three black scales in it. They were blisteringly hot, they had been sitting in the flames for almost an hour. Dany rubbed them with the cloth and found that the blackness was only soot. Otherwise, they were completely unchanged.

"Of course." Dany murmured. "Doreah, please collect the scales that are on the floor and keep them in a bag. From now on, we will bathe the dragons in sand whenever they are appearing dull and we will collect all the scales that fall from them. I have some ideas for putting them to use."

"Yes, _Khaleesi_." Doreah nodded. "Are you ready to dress for dinner?"

"I am." Dany replied. "Thank you."

Dinner was a simple meal around their campfire. Dany sat in between Jorah and Lillouet, Drogo was across from her with his bloodriders. Their circle included Dany's handmaids, Drogo's Ko, Athnash, and three guests of Drogos who had suggestions, complaints and requests to make of him. Every night he entertained three different men and gave them the chance to speak with him.

Dany bounced Rhaello on her lap, she gnawed on a large carrot. Though she had no teeth, Dany could feel hard bumps under her gums and suspected that she would have some soon. She often cried and clawed at her face, so giving her carrots to gum away at had helped. Rhaello loved to be surrounded by noise and people, she was happy to join them around the campfire most nights.

"Koharu has been causing trouble again, he took one of my horses and one of my slave women and ran off into the night. He returned the next day without either. I want him to answer for this!" One of the men was angrily raving to Drogo. He listened and nodded.

"Capture him and bring him before me. He is young and willful, but he has gone too far. He will answer for this." Drogo reassured the man in that slow, deep voice Dany loved.

" _Khaleesi_." Jorah touched Dany's shoulder lightly. "We will be passing by a small market tomorrow, if we ride ahead we could have some time to explore it, if you wish."

"Yes!" Dany exclaimed. Jorah always knew where the nearest market or trading town would be. Dany loved the sights and sounds of the markets. Even the smaller ones often had vegetables and wine, satins and silks, livestock other than horses. Things she loved to have, despite being a Dothraki warlords wife. She was also searching for a small sword, a real one, one that she could carry. Or a dagger. Having some small weapon that she could use without hurting herself would make her feel safer.

"We must accompany you, _ma dan_." Lillouet told her. Dany nodded, smiling. Drogo looked over, he had overheard them.

"Go if it pleases you." He told her with a small smile. He knew how much she enjoyed exploring. "But take Ko Pono with you as well."

Dany rose with the sun. She could hardly contain her excitement. She woke Ser Jorah as soon as she was ready, and trotted around the camp on her silver while he prepared himself. The warrior maids were ready to go when Dany was, and watched her ride. Ko Pono was harder to rouse, he had drunk too much the night before, and needed to be led to his mount. He dunked his head in a bucket of water and assured Dany he would be fit to guard her. Jhiqui wished to accompany them as well. Dany draped a sling over her shoulders that cradled Rhaello against her chest. She would be much happier exploring with them than staying behind at camp.

And then they were off.

They were about a two hour ride to the market. Which would give them half the day to explore, and time to catch up to the khalasar. By the time it was packed and moving and managed to lumber past the market, it would be past midday. The market was a relatively small one, so the khalasar would not be stopping by it. But they would not be left behind, it was such a large group that it was impossible to miss.

As they rode, Dany sifted through her gold and silver in her pouch. Many were willing to give her whatever she desired simply because of the name she bore, but she preferred to pay them in some way. Especially when a merchant carried her favorite sausages cooked with garlic and hot peppers.

Her luck held out, and they were able to break their fasts on fresh sausages. Dany bought enough for everyone, and Athnash asked for twice as many. Then Ko Pono decided he needed to have more than Athnash, and soon they were both trying to eat more than the other. Dany paid the merchant several times over, so he had no complaints. As the group cheered and the two stuffed themselves, Dany squished a piece of sausage between her fingers to feed to Rhaello. She sucked on it for a while and then spat it out, but Dany liked to think that she enjoyed the flavour.

Soon the merchant had no more sausages left. He would have more on the morrow, he promised, but he simply could not prepare the meat in time to make any more today. Dany waved his worries away. Athnash looked fairly uncomfortable in her tight Dothraki vest. Ko Pono looked ill.

"Let us see what there is to be seen." Dany told them, and she led her silver away.

" _Khaleesi,_ look!" Jhiqui exclaimed. She had found a merchant selling silks and laces. She loved to put together dresses and skirts for Dany, and had even made a tiny lavender silk dress for Rhaello, though they rarely had cause to wear them. But it made her happy, and Dany thought she was a beautiful seamstress, so she bought some rolls of flowy gossamer material Jhiqui was admiring.

The market was wonderful. Dany found a tiny silver comb, decorated with delicate deep purple roses. She bought it for Rhaello to wear some day, thinking it would bring out her eyes. She bought some sour, deep red wines her husband would appreciate. She found a large dagger, almost like a small arakh that fit her hands well. And a merchant had some funny white carrots that tasted woody, but were large and juicy. Dany got several for Rhaello to gnaw on. She spotted Jorah buying wine and the warrior maids buying vegetables. Ko Pono vomited all over a merchants cabbages, so Dany paid him for those too.

It was getting close to midday. Dany was watching a women dressed in thin flowing silks dance. She gave her some gold and the woman came over to dance right in front of Dany from where she sat on a rock. Jhiqui sat in the shade with Rhaello in her lap, Ko Pono slept on the ground near them. Athnash stood guard near them, Lillouet and Jorah were with Dany.

Then an arrow came flying past Dany's head and everything became chaos.

Athnash and Lillouet were by her sides immediately, weapons drawn. Jorah ran towards Jhiqui, but not fast enough. Dany heard her screaming. A man was trying to wrestle Rhaello from her arms and failing. He saw Jorah nearing, sword drawn, and decided to grab her around the waist and carry them both away. Another man with a bow neared Dany, an arrow ready to shoot.

"No." Dany almost whispered.

She ran after the man carrying her child. _Rhaello!_ Her heart cried out. _No!_ She drew her new dagger as she ran.

" _Khaleesi_!" Lillouet screamed. She must be following. Dany did not know, she did not know. Nothing else mattered but getting to Rhaello. She was smaller than Lillouet and the man, she was not wearing armor. Her silk skirt tore as her legs pumped, she could run faster than them, she knew she could.

She could see the man now, he approached a horse.

" _No_!" She screamed. She threw her dagger but it missed by several arm lengths. There were tears in her eyes.

Then an arrow made out of a green dragon scale pieced his calf. He cried out and went to one knee, but tried to rise again. It was all Dany needed, she threw herself onto his back and tried to scratch at his eyes, she bit at his neck. He reached up to grab her so she bit his hand as hard as she could. She tasted blood. He grunted and dropped Jhiqui and Rhaello, he grabbed Dany and threw her to the ground. His knees were pressing into her chest, his hands wrapped around her throat. She saw Jhiqui rise and run away carrying Rhaello and would have cried out in relief if she wasn't choking.

The tip of a spear came through his chest, spraying Dany's face with blood. Strong hands grabbed him by the hair and pulled him away. Dany grasped at her throat, coughing. She could hear a blade hitting flesh. Then Lillouet was holding her in her lap.

" _Khaleesi_! Daenerys! Look at me. Are you hurt? Can you speak?" Lillouet was holding her gently, but her voice was panicked. She had tears in her eyes.

"Rhaello." Dany croaked.

"Here, _Khaleesi_." Jhiqui was crying as well. She fell to her knees next to them and they all huddled in a pile for a moment. Dany sat up so she could wrap her arms around her daughter and feel her warmth. She and Jhiqui seemed unharmed. She could hear Jorah and Athnash shouting and running towards them.

" _Khaleesi_!" Jorah cried out as her approached. "Is she alright?"

"We are all unharmed." Lillouet replied. "Though Daenerys needs someone to tend to the bruises that may form on her throat."

" _Khaleesi_." Athnash shouted bluntly. "I have kept this one alive for you. But barely. Shall I rip out his tongue for you?"

"No," Dany croaked. "I need his tongue, so he can tell me who sent him."

"I will never tell you anything." The man rasped in the common tongue. His face was bloodied and bruised. He spat on the ground at Dany. Athnash punched him in the teeth and he fell to the ground motionless, two teeth fell out onto the ground next to him.

"Athnash!" Lillouet exclaimed.

"I did not kill him, I only made him easier to carry back to camp. I should tie him to my horse and drag him. Ko Pono as well. The drunk stupid fool is still asleep in the market." Athnash was furious. Her face was still red and she kept stabbing the mans leg with her spear. Her foot was tapping the ground in frustration.

"The khalasar will not be far away now. We need to get the _Khaleesi_ to her _Khal_ and to a healer. Jhiqui, ride ahead and find him, bring him to us. _Khaleesi_ , ride with me. Jorah, tie the bastard to your horse. Athnash, go wake Ko Pono and bring him here at once. You two scout the area for any more of these men. Then Ko Pono can carry the luggage and ride behind us." Lillouet ordered. She lifted Dany and Rhaello in her arms, as though Dany were the babe. Her head rested on Lillouets shoulder. She smelled of sweat, but also of baked bread and mint. Dany closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to relax.

It was not long before the _Khal_ , his bloodriders and Ko came charging towards their small party. He took Dany down from her horse and gathered her in his arms.

"Moon of my life. My beautiful wife. Are you hurt? This happens every time you are out of my sight. It will not happen again." He held her tight for a moment and they reassured each other quietly.

" _You_." Khal Drogo spat. He was angrier than Dany had ever seen him. He stomped over towards Ko Pono, who was holding his head in shame. He took him by the hair and yanked him off of his horse.

"You are a disgrace. You knew you were to accompany the mother of my child to the market. You drank too much anyways. You did not lift a finger to protect her. I should rip off your cock and stuff it down your throat before I cut off your hair and have you killed."

"My sun and stars no, do not direct your anger towards him. He would have defended me if he were able. Please." Dany begged. "No more violence today. Please. Let me rest." Drogo turned and gathered Dany up again.

"Bring the bastard and his dead bastard friend to a tent and tie them up. Do not let them get killed. The khalasar will stop here, right now. We will deal with this mess tomorrow. I will deal with _you_ tomorrow." He spat at Ko Pono. He stroked Dany's forehead with his thumb, and planted a kiss on it.

"Sleep now my love. Rest. You and Rhaello are safe. Worry not for the night."

Exhausted, Dany pressed her face into his chest and tried to sleep, letting her Khal rock her as he walked back to the khalasar.

 _Safe_. Dany thought. _We're home safe_.


	10. Chapter 10

Dany looked at the sleeping face of the man who tried to kill her child.

Her neck was sore and stiff. Soft purple bruises had bloomed along it, tinged in yellow. She could still speak, though the pain of it clawed at her throat like an angry beast and left her raw. Her rage was a twisted confusing thing, writhing and thrashing inside her heart, like a great rolling storm. It seemed to have no defined shape or feeling, it was a mass of emotions crashing against each other.

But her mind was well rested, and as clear and sharp as her arakh.

"I have spent the night with him, I gave him many cuts and bruises, he will not talk." Athnash remarked grumpily. She sat in the corner with her legs and arms crossed, wiggling one of her feet impatiently.

"I want him to look me in the eyes." Daenerys said simply. She threw a bucket of water on his face. He woke with a start, sputtering and struggling to move. Drogo stood behind her, brow furrowed and arms crossed. He did not see the point in keeping a captive alive unless they intended to use him as a slave. He understood torture and punishment, but not interrogation. Anything he needed to know he could find out for himself.

"Dothraki bitch." The man spat at Dany when he looked up and saw her. He was a homely man, brown hair, brown eyes, lightly tanned skin, medium height and weight. His features were still distinguishable under his mess of a body, Athnash had left him covered in blood and bruises. He could be anyone. He could be no one. His companion was the same. Dany slapped him.

He laughed, like a madman.

"Look at me." She commanded. "Look in my eyes. Do you know who I am? Do you really know?"

"I know that you are a horselords slut, and that you plan on putting your whelp on the throne. It won't happen. Neither of you can be king, fool." Blood and spit dribbled from his mouth as he spoke. Dany could see the sweat on his forehead, the crease between his eyes, the pain he was in.

She slapped him again, harder.

She took his face in her hand, squeezing his cheeks and forcing him to look her in the eyes.

"My name is Daenerys Targaryen." She started, quiet and calm. "I do not know what they told you about me, so I am going to tell you the truth. They call me the mother of dragons. The unburnt queen. Daenerys stormborn. _Khaleesi_. I am the wife of the great _Khal_ Drogo and together we command a khalasar of over forty thousand strong warriors. We are going to take back your throne, because it is rightfully mine. The Usurper stole it from my family. Look at me!"

She shook him and forced his head upwards. He had started to laugh and mumble like a madman and was trying to avert his eyes.

"I saw to the birth of three dragons. The first that the world has seen in many lifetimes. I have crossed the world, and I will cross it again. With my daughter. The rightful heir to the throne. It is her blood right. She is the sister of these three dragons and together they are growing fierce and strong. These dragons are my blood and heritage. You will make a meal for them if you do not tell me who sent you!"

He spat at her feet again. She dropped him and stood up. She paced back and forth.

"You tried to kill my daughter. Family name aside that was a grave mistake, I am her mother, and the mother of dragons. A mother would never let something go by lightly. Your death could be slow, and painful. Or you could return to Westeros with a message for the king."

He laughed. "I could die here or die there, they will put my head on a spike."

"We could protect you." She replied.

"I don't want your protection, slut!" He yelled, struggling against his bindings. "Don't you understand anything? Your legacy is insanity, you are only carrying on your family's traditions!"

She could not contain herself. She slapped him again. She grabbed a fistful of his hair and forced his head back.

"No!" She shouted inches from his face. "You misunderstand me! You will tell me who sent you, whether you want to or not! The Usurper has already sent his hired knives after me and failed. They've followed me my whole life, why does he continue? Why does he refuse to leave me alone?"

Her rage was such that it would have frightened her on any other occasion. Fueled by the fear she had lived with her whole life, of being followed by these assassins. The fear that her daughter would have the same life. It was like a bubbling pool of magma inside her. The heat was so much that it felt as if she was surrounded by flamed. She grabbed his wrist, she held it so tight her nails drew blood. She could not remain calm.

"I said look at me! You tried to kill my child! I will kill you for this! With my own two hands! I will feed you to my dragons piece by piece while you are still alive! I will-"

She was interrupted by his screaming.

He thrashed and flailed as if she were burning him. She thought she could smell cooked meat, and she could feel his skin bubbling under her hand. She released his wrist.

She _was_ burning him.

In the shape of her palm and fingers, his skin was covered in angry red blisters. Some spots appeared crisp and cooked, like the skin of a roasted pig. In other areas the flesh looked as if it had melted away. His screaming stopped when she released him, and was replaced by whimpering. She held out her hands to inspect them, but they did not appear unusual in any way. She wiped her brow and found that she was sweating, her chest was flushed and her heart was pounding.

She smiled. Almost a grimace.

She reached out and grabbed his face in both of her hands. His screaming turned into shrieks of agony. He struggled and cried. She dug her nails into his cheeks, watched the steam and smoke rise from under her fingers. She tried to focus all of her rage and fear into the palms of her hands, and pushed harder. She felt his skin melt and slough away under her. He wailed.

She pulled back. He collapsed to the ground but appeared conscious.

"Have you had a moment to reconsider?" She asked simply. He said nothing.

"I will place my thumbs over your closed eyelids." She told him. "As your eyelids melt away, your eyes will become exposed. I suppose it shall be extremely painful. But you do not need your eyes to talk. And I've only started on the top half of your body. I have many more ideas for what I will do to the lower half."

He said nothing. She placed her thumbs over his eyes and pushed against him, a few moments later he cried out.

"It wasn't the king!"

She removed her thumbs.

His eyes were wet with tears, and his eyelids were red with blisters. His eyeballs appeared intact. "I swear. I swear…" He looked as though he was going to fall faint.

"Do not dare fall asleep now, bastard." She warned him. "Who was it? You speak the common tongue by birth, I know you are native to the seven kingdoms, though you carry no sigil. Who sent you?"

"A man. A very small man with a pointy black beard. He wore a pin shaped like a bird. He told us to capture the princess and bring her back to Westeros as hostage. He offered us another thousand golden dragons each if we killed you as well. He did not tell us his name, and asked us not to seek it out. He saw us fight in the tourney and asked if we wanted to be rich." He was sobbing. "Please, I swear…"

"What else do you know?" She demanded. "Tell me!" When he shook his head, she forced his jaw apart and took his tongue in between her fingers. He screamed, but all that came out was a strange guttural cry. She pulled back.

"The king called off your assassination! Lord Eddard Stark convinced him to change his mind! Then he died! The king and Stark, they are both dead! The lord will be sending faceless men after you and us if you are not killed! Please, that is all I know!" He shrunk back away from her. He feared her.

"Thank you for your honesty. I suppose I am finished then." She told him calmly. He laughed in relief. Cried tears of joy.

"Thank you," He whimpered. "Thank you, my queen…"

She formed a fist and then straightened her fingers slightly, so they came to a point, and plunged the hand into his chest.

He screamed and cried, struggled and pissed himself. Her fingers slowly melted and cooked the flesh, parting her way to his heart as it sloughed away. She pushed into his chest for a considerable amount of time. His clothes and small wisps of flesh caught fire as they flew onto the ground. Her fingers found the ribs, they cracked and shattered under the pressure and heat. She wrapped her fingers around the round thing that must be his heart and pulled with all of her strength. She heard a sickening tearing sound.

The man screamed no more. His body twitched as Dany crushed his heart in her fist. It was much smaller than the horse's heart she had eaten, it looked pathetic in her hand. Both of her guards stared at her wide eyed, not sure how to ask the question. Drogo's jaw was hanging slack. She dropped the heart to the floor and crushed it further under her foot.

" _Khaleesi_ …" Athnash started. Dany waved at her for silence.

"Gather yourselves and the khalasar, I have an announcement to make. Be outside of my tent soon. Irri, I need you to retrieve something for me." Dany replied stoically.

She stood on a cart outside of her tent. She was a frightful sight, covered in blood and sweat and dirt. Thousands of people had gathered to see her. She momentarily wished she were taller, but silently waved it away. She had a task to focus on.

"Athchomar chomakea!" She cried out. A respectful greeting.

"Anha Daenerys Vazyol h'Okreseroon Targeryen, Rothno au Khaleesi." _I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the Unburnt Queen._

"I have called you all here to bear witness to what I am about to do." She continued in Dothraki. "You have seen me cross the world. You have seen me give birth to dragons and a _Khalakki_. You will see me put my daughter in her rightful place as ruler of the Land of the Andals. And now you will see me name my bloodriders." She reached for Irri.

"Athnash. Come forward." She commanded. Athnash looked mildly surprised for a moment, but she came forward and knelt in front of the cart.

"I offer you my great silver handled whip, which was a bride gift to me. I ask for your oath, that you will live and die as blood of my blood, riding at my side to keep me and my daughter from harm. I ask that you will continue to guard Rhaello with your life if I die." She held her hand out, offering her the whip. Athnash stood and took it from her. She appeared steady and somber.

"Yes, Khaleesi. Qoy qoyi." She told her. _Blood of my blood._

"Qoy qoyi." Dany replied. "Lillouet. Please come forward." She called out. Lillouet seemed emotional, she wiped at her eyes and took a deep breath but stepped forward.

" _Khaleesi_." She said, her voice shaking. "You honour me."

"I offer you my magnificent dragonbone bow, which was a bride gift to me. I ask for your oath, that you will live and die as blood of my blood, riding at my side to keep me and my daughter from harm. Use it to guard Rhaello with your life if I die." She offered her the bow, Lillouet had already stood to take it. There were tears in her eyes again.

"I will live and die as your bloodrider, _Khaleesi_. I will guard your daughter as if she were my own. I am yours. Qoy qoyi." She choked out, holding the bow to her chest. Daenerys reached out to Irri once more.

"Qoy qoyi." Dany replied.

"Ser Jorah. Please come forward." She called out. Jorah was off to the side, but near enough that she saw him nod. He walked forward slowly, with his shoulders held up straight and tall. He knelt in front of her.

"I offer you my beautiful arakh, with hilt and handle chased in gold, which was a bride gift to me. I ask for your oath, that you will live and die as blood of my blood, riding at my side to keep me and my daughter from harm. I ask that you will guard Rhaello with your life if I die." She held it out to him. He hesitated for half a moment, but took it from her.

"Everything I am is yours Khaleesi. That has been true since the day I met you. Qoy qoyi." He said, his words in smooth Dothraki, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Qoy qoyi." She replied.

Daenerys pulled her own dagger out of its sheath and held it above her head.

"My people! You know who I am. I know who you are. You know what my wishes are. The Usurper had wishes too. He wished me dead. He wished my child dead. He and his lords have sent hired knives after me, we have killed his hired knives. And now the Usurper is _dead_!" She gripped her dagger tighter, trying to focus all of her energy into her palm and her fingers. She tried to muster up her anger from before.

"You three. Blood of my blood. You saved my life and the life of my daughter. You have shown me unwavering strength and loyalty. I am in your debt. Anha asshilak jin azh shafkea haji rekoon et shafka." _I make this gift to you for what you did._

"If you wish to give me a gift in return, gift me with your loyalty and service. Gift me with your devotion. From now on, I will be completely devoted to you as your _Khaleesi_ , as your blood."

She looked up, the dagger was turning slightly red. She could feel the heat coming off of it.

"I am Daenerys Targaryen! People tell me that these things I do are not done, and yet here I stand before you! People say I cannot claim a throne because I am not a man, but I have done things that no man has done before, and I will continue doing things that no person has done before!"

She thrust her dagger further into the air. The blade burst into flame.

"Anha vidrik khalasares anni jim, finaan nakhoe rhaesheser!" She cried out. _I will take my khalasar west to where the world ends!_


	11. Chapter 11

She bounced Rhaello on her knees. The child shrieked with laughter, waving her chubby fists in the air. She could stand, if she was being held up under her armpits. She loved to bounce in place and kick her legs out wildly, giggling. She had managed to leave a faint bruise on Drogo's chest doing so the other day. She was wearing a soft, gauzy dress made of flowing lavender fabric. The latest one Jhiqui had made. It was light and airy, and a bit more practical than the tiny silks and satins she had. Her soft hair was coming in curly. It was like silvery pale copper. As it bounced and fell with her it appeared copper, then silver, then copper again. Against the sun, it framed her face like a soft golden halo. Dany kissed her forehead, Rhaello babbled happily.

Viserion sat next to them on the ground, his head up, looking at Rhaello curiously. She reached out a tiny fist towards his face, and he gently rubbed it with his snout. Viserion often kept an eye on Rhaello, he would follow her around while she crawled and he would sit next to her while she was being held. Dany had even found them sleeping together, he would crawl into her cradle and curl his body around her. Though the last time he had done this he had also broken her cradle, so Rhaello's new bed was larger than it needed to be, with a thick beam underneath it to support the two of them.

"This is your brother." Dany told her child. "Viserion. Vis-ear-ee-on. Can you say it?"

Rhaello babbled something like "Vee-son." And then smacked his snout. He snorted with indignation and lay his head back down on his feet, which made Rhaello laugh. Dany laughed with her and kissed her again.

Rhaello already had a trunk full of toys and gifts. People made her tiny wooden swords and shields, dolls and blocks, small fabric animals, whirring contraptions and puzzles. Rhaello had no interest in any of them, she preferred playing with dirt and sand. She would pick rocks up off of the ground and throw them at people, and put sticks in her mouth if she found them. Dany often gave her toys away to the children she encountered when she toured the khalasar. She had more than she would ever need or want. She did keep the small wooden swords and shields, for later. And Jhiqui had made her a purple dragon toy that was larger than Rhaello was, it's silk body shimmered in the light of the candles at night. She kept this too.

She was a fiery child, full of spirit and attitude. Her current favorite thing was to throw things people gave her. Often at the people who had given them to her. She could not really crawl yet, but she tried. She could usually roll and drag herself wherever she wanted. She often got frustrated when she tried to crawl, as if she was not learning fast enough. Dany liked to hold her under the arms and let her "walk" around and visit people. Her tiny feet did not seem bothered by the heat of the sand, but Dany had little leather slippers for them anyways.

An arm wrapped around her shoulder. Drogo's. He sat next to them, holding her close. Rhaello shrieked and reached out to him, so he pulled his arm off of Dany and took her tiny body in his huge hands. They made her look like a newborn. He bounced her on his knee while she babbled and tried to pull on his hair, she loved the bells and often tried to yank them out. He offered her a finger that she happily gnawed on.

"My love, that will hurt a lot more when she has teeth, and she will not hesitate to do it later if you let her do it now." Dany warned him.

"I have killed _hrakkar_ with my bare fists, I am not worried about her tiny baby teeth. See? She enjoys it so." He told her. Dany supposed she did seem very pleased with herself. She hoped Rhaello was not about to start biting her handmaids. She stroked his face adoringly and kissed his cheek.

"You are turning my whole world upside down." He said. His brow was furrowed, his expression unreadable. "I did not expect any of these things when I was asked if I wanted a silver maiden princess for a bride. I was told you were small and easily frightened, complacent and compliable."

"I know my love." Dany replied. "I did not expect any of these things when I was told I'd be marrying a fierce Dothraki warlord. I grew up expecting to be small and frightened my whole life, always being watched over by my brother. Always being scared of him. I thought I would always be scared of you, too." She smirked.

"From what I've seen," He chuckled slightly, shaking his head. "You should not be scared of anyone."

"I don't often feel scared anymore." She admitted. "At least not for myself. I fear for Rhaello often. I fear for you. I fear for my dragons. But I no longer feel vulnerable and helpless."

"Good." He kissed her forehead, then he kissed Rhaello's cheek, blowing air onto it to make a rude sound. Rhaello squealed with joy.

"I'm proud to have you as my own, you should know. But I feel as though I've become involved in something that doesn't concern me. As long as it involves you and my child I will stand by you. But please… can you explain to me what is happening to your hands?"

"I cannot." She sighed. "I do not understand it myself. I have not heard of this happening before. I am hoping that someone in Qarth can help me." She slowed her words, proceeding cautiously. "They have people there that understand these things."

"Men will call you _maegi_ if they find out you are consulting with these people." He sounded worried. "They will be angry and scared."

"If they were going to do something about being angry with me or scared of me, they would have done something ages ago when the dragons hatched. Or when Rhaello was born. Or when they learned of my plans. This is not so much more strange or outlandish." She stroked Rhaello's hair. "I have a feeling that more strange things will happen before we are done. The world is changing. I must change with it."

"I suppose." He agreed. "I cannot speak for my men though. If you continue to do this thing… I do not want you to be on your own. I want you and Rhaello to have a guard, one of yours or one of mine, at all times."

"I can defend myself!" She exclaimed indignantly. "I am learning how to fight!"

"I know that." He replied. "I know you are growing stronger. But my love… It would ease my heart to know someone is with you. Please."

She sighed. Her shoulders sank. "Alright. But you know Lillouet and Athnash are never far away. Especially since they became my bloodriders. I can hardly take a piss without Lillouet asking me if I need help." She grumbled. Drogo laughed.

"Only because they want to be, now they will have reason to be. If you ask them. Please." Dany sighed, relenting.

"Your grace!" Dany heard Jorah call. He walked over and sat next to them. Rhaello reached out to him and he patted her head.

"So is it true?" Dany asked him. "Is the Usurper dead?" Jorah nodded, solemn.

"Yes, _Khaleesi_. My informant has confirmed it. He also confirmed that the lord the man spoke of is Lord Petyr Baelish, or Littlefinger as the commoners call him. He is someone to worry about. He is clever and devious, and has half the kingdom under his tiny thumb. Ned Stark was killed by the queen's men because of him and now her boy sits the iron throne."

"What do we know of the boy?"

"He is a few years younger than you, raised to be the queen's puppet. She has groomed him to have delusions of grandeur while she whispers suggestions in his ear. But I have heard that he is outside of her control. He is wild, cruel, without a care for politics or the state of his kingdom. He cares only about power and punishing people. And there is more." He pulled a letter out and handed it to her.

"This was contained in their baggage on the horse they intended to escape on. It is written by Lord Stannis Baratheon, though he styles himself King Stannis now." She read it.

"The light of the lord?"

"He is also called R'hllor. The red priestess that has Lord Stannis in her clutches has converted him to her fiery god. I have heard that she also proclaimed Stannis is Azor Ahai come again, and that his burnt sword is a burning sword."

"What does this mean for us?" Drogo asked him.

"Stark's boy Robb has stylized himself King of the North. Stannis' younger brother Renly has claimed the iron throne for himself. There are four kings marching around, proclaiming things and fighting each other. By the time we arrive, some of them should have managed to destroy the other."

"So this is good for us, right?" Dany said.

"It is. But I have more news." Jorah replied. He looked grave. "The maesters have declared that the great summer is over. Winter is coming, and it may last ten years. Maybe more. A long summer means a long winter. There is news from the wall that the Others have risen again. Unless we arrive in a matter of moons, the land we will arrive on will be scarred, soaked in blood, covered in snow and monsters."

"I see." Dany said simply. She thought for a moment. "Then the land we will arrive on will be in dire need of leadership and strength."

"I suppose." He replied. "I admire your devotion to people you have never met living in a land you have never set foot on. Some call it madness, I call it kind hearted. You have a beautiful heart, you know." He was looking at her with soft eyes.

"She is beautiful in many other places, too." Drogo told him, grinning. Dany smacked his shoulder. But he continued.

"Though you would know this, with how you admire her so." She smacked him again, he laughed. He had been poking fun at the knight like this lately. Jorah looked at his feet, his ears red.

"Drogo! Why do you tease him so? What do you hope to accomplish?" Dany exclaimed. Drogo laughed.

"It seems as though everyone with eyes can see that you desire each other, except you and him. I am only adding wood to a fire that is already burning." Dany flushed.

"Drogo, you are my _Khal_." Jorah started. "I will not pursue her, no matter how much you goad me. She is the wife of my lord, my queen and the blood of my blood. I have no wish to cause pain between the two of you. I do not desire your wife."

"That is horse shit!" Drogo barked. "There is no one in the world that does not desire her. You do not wish to cause pain… look at the pain she is in. If you do not wish to cause pain between us." He grinned. "You should consider finding out what it is like to be between the two of us at night."

"Drogo!" Dany cried. She took Rhaello from him and stormed off. She could still hear him laughing as she walked away. _He is enjoying teasing us!_ She fumed. She went to her tent to sit and think.

 _Stop it_. She told herself. _He just told you he does not desire you._

He has told me before that he does. I do not understand _._

 _He simply fears the Khal, he does not wish to die and he does not wish to slay Drogo. Your husband obviously does not object to sharing your bed with others._

He cannot guard you and love you at the same time. It would not be right.

 _Drogo guards me and loves me quite well._

"Gahh!" She cried out in frustration. She poked the fire with a stick viciously, causing sparks to fly everywhere.

" _Khaleesi!_ " She heard from behind her. It was Lillouet. "What is wrong? Are you hurt?"

"No, all is well. I am just… confused." Lillouet sat down next to her and took Rhaello, who was happy to play with her braid.

"I feel as though I am a piece in a game I do not understand." Dany told her. "I do not know if my husband is mocking me, testing me or encouraging me. He told me and Jorah we should be lovers. He thinks the knight desires me." Lillouet sighed.

" _Ma dan_. Of course he desires you. Look at me." She reached out with her free hand to place her palm on Dany's cheek. She stroked it with her thumb.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met." Dany looked up at her, Lillouet's dark eyes smoldered. Her face and chest were flushed.

"You are fierce and kind hearted, you are a better leader than you think you are. And stronger than any of your enemies think you are. And more determined to prove the world wrong than anyone I have ever met. You are capable of burning away this land that you seek, but you wish to nurture and protect it. I look up to you _Khaleesi_."

Dany flushed. She placed one of her small hands over Lillouets.

"That's odd, because I find myself looking up to you." She replied. Lillouet laughed. Her laugh was like music, like deep smooth chimes in the wind.

"Do what you wish, _Khaleesi_. If you wish for a lover then you should have one, Goodness knows you deserve it. I know that you'll end up doing what you think is best either way. And I know you put the good of your people before your own personal desires… But you deserve to enjoy yourself." She took Dany's hand from her face, and threaded their fingers together. She pulled it towards her chest, pressing it against her heart.

"You deserve to be happy, _ma dan_." She murmured.

And then she leaned towards Dany. She smelled faintly of freshly baked bread. Her breath tinged the space between them with mint leaves. Dany could feel her heart racing under her fingers. Her lips parted.

"Lillouet!" Athnash shouted out from the entrance of the tent. They jerked apart.

"I need you out here. For guard duty. Now." She demanded. She seemed to be fuming. Her wild hair gave her the appearance of a lioness. Lillouets face and ears turned red. She looked deep crimson with her dark skin.

"By your leave, _Khaleesi_." She said politely before rising and leaving the tent. Rhaello was on the ground now, putting sand in her mouth.

Dany let out a large sigh and poked the burning logs again before she went to grab her daughter.


	12. Chapter 12

"Are you sure it is them, my love?" Dany asked her husband.

"It is them. Khal Rhalko commands over twenty thousand. Only Khal Forzo has so few, unless it is some new unblooded Khal, but I have heard of none. If it is Forzo, he owes me his blood. If it is not, my men could use a good fight." Drogo told her casually.

"Has he wronged you in some way?"

"He is an overstuffed bastard, he wrongs the world with his existance. He thinks that because he commands a khalasar, he may take whatever he wants without any retribution. He has tried and tested me before, and when we were in the sacred city he stole away Cohollo's young daughters and ran away before we could retrieve them. He will suffer for how he mocks me openly. He thinks so much of himself that he parades his khalasar in front of me. He does not deserve to call himself _Khal_." Drogo spat at the ground. He pulled at his reins and kicked his horse, turning himself around. He went to his bloodriders so they could arrange themselves for battle. They cheered and clapped each other's backs, eager to fight.

" _Khaleesi_." Lillouet put a hand on her shoulder, her voice was gentle and tinged with worry. "I know you are brave, but please stay behind with us and Rhaello. This is not your fight, you will stand out and be targeted."

"Stay behind with Lillouet and Rhaello." Athnash interjected. "I am in sore need of a good fight. I am not in sore need of protecting you while you practice fighting. You are not ready. The best thing we can do to keep you alive is insist you stay here. There is no danger to be had in camp, less so if I am to join the others." She took off to join Drogo and the others.

"I am staying behind as well, fear not." Jorah reassured Lillouet. "Though I highly doubt we are in any danger of being invaded by Forzo's khalasar."

"I will stay to protect my daughter. Though I resent not being able to fight alongside my husband, I am not so blind as to think that I would be any help." Dany admitted sadly. It hurt her pride, but they were right. She rode back to her tent to join Rhaello and her handmaids.

Waiting was agony. Someone rode back occasionally to update them on how the battle was going, and it was going well for them, but it was still agony. Dany paced in the tent. She played with Rhaello until she was too tired to keep playing and took a nap. She practiced producing fire with her dragons, but was dismayed by her and Viserion's progress. Drogon could produce a steady stream for several minutes now, and Rhaegon was starting to produce small streams of flame. Rhaegons fire was bright and orange, with red and blue and all kinds of colours in it if you looked closely enough. Drogons was white and thick and hot, even to Dany it felt hot. Together, the three of them were able to take down a horse and cook the meat for themselves, Rhaegon and Drogon seemed content to share with Viserion. Though he didn't exactly eat the choice pieces, leaving him slightly smaller than the other two. So Dany would often sneak him treats and chickens. She spoke with Jorah about the state of Westeros. She scrubbed her dragons until they shone and collected the scales. He told her about the Others while she scrubbed. They were also called the white walkers. In the far north of Westeros the bodies of dead men were rising with blue eyes and frozen limbs.

"But anything frozen like that would fear heat and fire, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, your grace." Jorah smiled. "I do not think we will have much to fear from them. The only things known to kill them are fire, Valyrian steel and obsidian." He paused, waiting to see if she reacted.

"A substance also known as dragon glass." He finished.

She puzzled for a moment. She had heard one of her handmaids mention she knew a man with a dagger made of the stuff, but she thought she was just telling stories.

"Did your brother ever mention this to you?" He asked. Dany shook her head.

"No, I do not think so. What is it? How could a dragon make glass?" She wondered if it was another name for a dragons scales.

"I do not know, Khaleesi. Very little is known about it. If we can find a scholar or a maester in Samyriana we may be able to learn more." Lillouets eyes narrowed at that.

"You will _not_ enter that city without Drogo _and_ Ser Jorah with you." She told Dany sternly.

"Do you mean you will not be with me?"

"Of course my sister and I will accompany you, though it will be to the dismay of the people there. I do not think Rhaello should go at all. She will be better off at camp."

"What is so dangerous about this city?" Dany was confused. To her knowledge, Samyriana was a sister city to Kayakayanaya. She thought they would be very similar.

"In my home, the great fathers teach us to respect and honour women because they are our warriors. We believe that because we are able to bring life into the world, only we should be able to take it away. In Samyriana, they teach their people to look down on women because they are used for fighting. They pit them against each other in the arena, and treat them as little more than slaves with swords and cunts. They will not appreciate your place with your people. They will not appreciate three independent warrior women in their city."

"I see. We will have to be careful, but it is still important to find someone in the city who will help us. And Drogo will be negotiating his gifts." She warmed a little when Lillouet included her as a warrior.

"How much longer do you think the fighting will continue?" Dany asked Jorah.

"Patience your grace, we had a scout tell us moments ago that the fight was going well and near done. Though it may be a few more hours until they have divvied up the spoils and returned."

"I suppose you're right." Dany sighed. "Lillouet, will you spar with me while we wait?"

"Yes Khaleesi. Shall I get your leathers?"

"Why? I know you will not strike me." Dany laughed. "Let us dance instead, we will accomplish more."

Lillouet had been teaching Dany something she called waterdancing. She said she learned from her father in Braavos, during her visit with him when her hiatus first began. She told Dany it would be good for her to learn, with her small size and quick strikes.

"Breathe, _ma dan_. Never forget to keep your breathing deep and controlled. It will help clear your mind. If you are not breathing, you cannot fight." She moved back and forth with Dany, thrusting and parrying in sync. They shifted with a familiar rhythm, almost like they were actually dancing. Though Athnash mocked her sister for practicing it. _It is a delicate thing, made for small men and weak women,_ she had said. But Dany quite enjoyed it. It was relaxing, and her balance and aim were improving. Lillouet had her practice with a wooden sword filled with lead. So by the end, her arms ached from holding it, even if she did not get any bruises.

Dany struck at Lillouets hand, she diverted the attack with her own stick and shifted her body so that she advanced towards Dany. Dany shifted left and tried to circle around to target Lillouet's back, but Lillouet dove to the ground and rolled over so that she was behind Dany. Dany turned around and tried to ready herself.

Lillouet struck at her feet and Dany wasn't able to block it. She jumped backwards, arching her body and landing on her hands. Then she fell over onto the ground with a grunt. Lillouet reached out to help her up.

"You land too heavily on your hands, _Khaleesi_. You must stay light as a feather, quick as a cat. You do not push up with strength, you simply redirect the momentum of your body. Do not hesitate, trust your body. Move without thinking." Lillouet jumped backwards onto her hands and pushed back onto her feet effortlessly, sword raised and ready. Dany had seen her balance on one toe, run straight up walls before propelling herself off of them. She wanted to do those things too.

"Try again." She was told. Dany bent to put down her sword and Lillouet tapped her wrist and then pointed her sword to Dany's chest. "With your weapon. Never drop your sword, now you are dead."

Dany straightened back up, hopped up and down a few times while she shook her hands out, and tried again. She crashed to the ground again. She got back up, grumbling and rubbing her back.

"It will come with time. The more we practice and the more you stretch, the more you will trust your body." She reassured her. "Have you made any progress with your fire?"

"No," Dany admitted. "I think I can only do it when I'm angry or scared."

"Then you should become angry. Fear will come when you are in trouble, anger can be created. Think, _Khaleesi_. Think about the battle waging. Think about defending Rhaello and your husband, imagine the enemy coming towards you and imagine channeling the strength you possess into defending them."

Dany closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She imagined the enemy khalasar advancing, coming towards Rhaello. She imagined herself drawing her sword to fight for her daughter. She squeezed the hilt of her wooden sword and tried to focus on her palm. She tried to channel all her fears about Drogo being on the battlefield into her fingers. She looked at her hands.

The stick was unchanged. She thrust it into the air and grunted with the exertion. Nothing happened.

"Ahh!" She cried in frustration, throwing her stick to the ground. She sat and put her head in her hands.

"I hate feeling useless. I hate feeling helpless. How can I carry so much power, but be so weak? Sometimes I feel so much stronger than I used to be, but sometimes I feel as though I will never be strong."

She wiped at her eyes, they were burning and threatening to tear up. Lillouet sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Khaleesi. In my home city, we are surrounded by fighting and training since the moment we are born. We are raised to be strong and fierce, encouraged to be large and formidable. And yet some women still prefer to become scholars or mothers instead of warriors."

"Are you saying I cannot be warrior no matter how hard I try?"

"No. I am saying that some people are born with the heart of a warrior, some with the heart of a scholar, no matter how they are raised. You were raised to be a princess, but you have the heart of a warrior. It will take more time and work for you than a girl from my home. You have your upbringing to work against."

Dany nodded. She understood.

"I am sorry I got frustrated. Let us continue."

The feasting that night was plentiful, the party wild. Drogo had led the battle well, the only thing that had been injured on him was one of his mustachios. He refused to let Dany cut the other one to even them out. He boasted seven new bells in his braid, and reapplied oil to it for the occasion. Two of Cohollo's daughters seemed terrified, but unharmed. They were relieved to be reunited with their husbands. His youngest daughter was gone, they could not find her anywhere. They hadn't lost many fighters, and had gained many women and slaves. Near the end, after the loss of their _Khal_ , most of the warriors simply lay down their arms and joined Drogo. Dany hated the slavery and the stealing of women, but she knew she was already pushing the tolerances of some of the men. She did however claim two young girls to become her handmaids that Ko Mago had been attempting to claim. They appeared to be no older than six and seven, possibly sisters. Ko Mago's rough hands and sly smiles made even grown women flinch away, Dany would not allow these two children to join him in his tent. She found a Dothraki woman who was willing to distract him for the evening instead.

People ran wild, drinking and dancing, shouting and cheering. Ko Pono had to be moved to a tent after he passed out from too much to drink. But only after he had jumped onto his own tent, collapsing it around him. Dany stayed near her tent with her handmaids, the girls and Rhaello were inside. She drank wine and roasted a chicken with Lillouet around the fire. Athnash was fist fighting with a man who had tried to carry her off. And she was winning. She punched him in the mouth, he fell to the ground and stopped moving. She casually stabbed him in the gut and took his two bells from his braid after cutting it off.

"Pass me that wine." She huffed after she sat back down next to Lillouet. She drained the goblet she was handed and held it out for more. She drained another goblet and then took the whole bottle from her sister, ruffling her hair as she did.

"You should have been there to see Drogo and Forzo fighting. Forzo held up well on horseback, but they eventually both lost their arakhs. Drogo dismounted and pulled him off of his own horse! In the end he ripped out his throat with his teeth and tore off his hair instead of cutting it. Forzo did not manage to land a single scratch on him. For such a big man, he moved with grace like a dancer. Is it true what they say about such men?" She winked at Dany and laughed.

"And you should have been here, guarding your queen and your blood." Lillouet scolded her. She punched Athnash's shoulder.

"You say that as if you would leave her unguarded for a moment. Soon you will be wanting to guard her bed. Perhaps there is an assassin hiding under her robe, you should check."

Lillouet punched her again.

"You find yourself offended any time I am enjoying myself." Athnash grumbled. "Tell me sister, would I really wrong you?"

"Yes." Lillouet replied haughtily.

"That's fair." Athnash shrugged.

Dany brought some chicken and roasted horse to the girls in the tent. They were both very short and skinny and devoured it without saying anything. She sat there for a moment. They seemed to have curlier hair than the average Dothraki girl, but it was so matted and full of filth that it was hard to tell.

"What are your names?" Dany asked gently. The girls glanced up at her, they looked frightened. Dany reached out to the older looking of the two and she shrunk away. Dany hesitated, but she continued and placed her hand on her head. She gently stroked her hair.

"I promise I will never hurt you." She murmured. But the girl was trembling, so she removed her hand and went to join the others outside around the fire.

Later, Dany lay on the mat in the middle of her tent. Viserion had curled his body around her shoulders, Rhaegon rested under her legs and Drogon sat awake at the entrance of the tent. Rhaello was in her arms. Drogo snored in their bed nearby, the girls slept with the handmaids in their tent. It was near dawn, the only sounds in the khalasar were of those who had been paired off and were still awake together.

Dany slipped out from under Viserion's wing. She left Rhaello there and prodded him awake, he reached out to cradle Rhaello's tiny body next to his. His body was relaxed, but his eyes were bright and alert.

She stepped out into the cool air. A slight breeze rustled her sandsilk robe, she pulled it tighter around herself and turned left towards Lillouet's tent.


	13. Chapter 13

He felt the blood move through his veins rhythmically as he pumped his massive wings. The winds were weak today, but the sand and the heat caused the air to cushion him, making gliding easier.

The horizon stretched endlessly before him, and he felt a tang of longing for something else. Something new. He flicked one of his eyelids shut, so that he could see the shapes the living creatures made with their body heat. Tiny rodents cowered below him. Small winged beasts frantically flew away from him. Well they should, for none was his equal.

Ahead, he saw the beginning of a massive shape and he knew he had found his herd. His tongue flicked into the air, which was rich with the taste of two-legs and four-legs. The herd moved, so it tasted of sweat instead of stagnant manure. It was pungent and sweet, but very strong with so many of them. He tilted his wings and lowered his head, his mother was away on her silver mount, but her mate was near the front of the herd. He had not had any good hunting the past few days, so he sought him out.

He landed ahead of the herd, off to the side. Knowing he would come to him. The herd was a ways away, but he was able to make out his tiny sister, carried on the back of one of her two-legged mounts. He recognized the mount, for it was the one that disliked and feared him so. Even from so far away, she seemed nervous in the distance. Probably because she was approaching him. He snorted and turned his head away, sitting with his back arched and his legs straight. Regal. The way he should be.

While he waited, he licked at the scales on his leg. The thick barbs on his tongue scoured them clean of dirt, though there never was much that needed cleaning. He would never allow himself to be covered in dirt like the four-legs did. At least the two-legs bathed themselves. His scales shimmered and shined under the hot sun, he knew he was resplendent.

Soon he approached on his four legs, his teeth bared, his head held high. He rode ahead of the herd, and the herd followed. Therefor gaining Rhaegon's respect.

"No kill to bring back, eh Rhaegon?" He barked. He seemed amused. Rhaegon snorted indignantly, puffs of smoke wafted towards him, the sire-not-by-blood. He dismounted and strode towards Rhaegon.

"I have heard stories of _hrakkar_ in the area, supposedly a big one." He told him. He reached up to Rhaegons head and scratched at the scales behind the horn next to his large eye. "I would like the pelt for your mother." He hummed in response.

"What do you say big man, shall we dance?"

The winds were weak today, the temperatures were scorching. It was perfect.

He kneaded the hot sand in between his claws. They had been waiting near a small watering hole Rhaegon had picked. He had flown overhead and found a small herd of wild four-legs, the ones he was allowed to eat. He had gone in the opposite direction when he had hunted, but his hunting partner told him which way to go this time.

This was the only watering hole in the area, and the small cluster of animals was slow and weak. It was possible they had been searching for this watering hole for days. The animals drank as if they were dying of thirst. They were clustered around the hole, and had been there for awhile. With the still air, and the hunters waiting downwind, the animals had even begun to relax. But still they waited.

Rhaegon saw him first. He saw his deep red heat-shape. He flicked his tongue out. His partner tensed. He closed his first eyelid so he could see the colours, and the light, light shade of the animal they had been waiting for.

The big white beast was preparing to spring toward the group of four-legs.

He was waiting for the perfect moment.

So the hunters waited as well.

His great hairy body burst out from the grass, startling the animals. Rhaegons hunting partner and his group bellowed and chased after him. But Rhaegon bounded forward, leaping over the watering hole. He aimed his claws at a massive mare he had been eyeing, she squealed as he gripped onto her flesh. Together, they collided into the grass, his body crushing hers. He lifted his head, the other one he had been watching, the one with the limp, was near. He clenched his throat, and the liquid fire within him exploded forth, igniting when it made contact with the open air. The flames licked at the old stallions back, causing him to collapse.

A pair of two-legs had been nearby, and they jumped back, shouting. They gestured angrily at him, but he simply snorted. They wouldn't have wanted that old one anyways. And Rhaegon had purposely left the big red stallion alone. He watched as they changed course and chased after him now. He turned to his meal, she was still writhing under his claws, so he lowered his head to make her keep still.

He walked back to the herd with his group, half of his second kill clamped tightly in his jaws. His belly full. The two-legs hoisted the massive beasts' body in between their mounts. One of the hatchling two-legs followed on a smaller mount, leading the four-legs they had captured. The two-legs bellowed some kind of rough melody. It was unpleasant on his ears, so he kept his jaw flexed and his eardrums covered. It protected them from water and unpleasant human sounds.

His nest-mate sat near the tent, guarding their tiny sister. The two-legs attending her shrieked and ran away when they saw the kill he was carrying. Reprimanded by the look his nest-mate gave him, he turned around and brought it to the edge of camp. He dropped it near a small clearing of soft sand, still warm from the heat of the day. He walked back to his nest-mate, who was pretending to sleep. He nudged at their face and neck, shoving his snout under their shoulders and lifting with a snort. He grumbled reassuringly as they plodded off to enjoy his kill.

He nestled himself into the furrow next to the cradle. It was so much smaller than his, it gave him a small pang of worry. His sister squealed loudly and waved a fist at him, so he lowered his snout. She wrapped her soft arms around his snout, she gripped the small spikes near his nostrils. She then used him to lift herself into a sitting position. From there, she could tug on his scales and grab onto the horns beside his eyes. She even tried to insert a fist into one of his nostrils. He shook her off gently.

He could feel the watchful eyes of his nest-mate, so he turned around and growled, annoyed. When he turned back to his sister again, her companions seemed worried. So he tried to hum reassuringly. He crossed his front legs and rested his head on them, so his sister could play with the spikes on his neck. One of the companions approached him, smiling. It was the lighter coloured one, with hair like the dry grass.

"Hello Rhaegon, can I clean your scales?" She asked him in his herds' rough language. He grunted and rolled his shoulders slightly. She crouched next to him, holding a giant stiff brush, and began to scour him. It was nice, especially when she scoured the scales on the backs of his legs and between his wings. His sides vibrated and he thrummed pleasantly when she reached his neck.

"You like that, don't you?" She cooed at him, scratching at his chin with one hand. He flicked the tip of his tongue at her in response. Her hand travelled from his chin to the top of his head, and moved to his muzzle. As her palm pressed against his snout, he tried to convey a sensation of pleasantness to her. She jerked her hand away slightly.

"Well… I enjoy it too. And you have such lovely thick scales on your neck, your mother will be pleased with them. Let me grab my bag, I wouldn't want to lose any." She scurried away. He grunted again. He didn't really see the point of putting them in a bag. They fell off all over the place, if he tried to keep track of every one he would drive himself mad. But he allowed her oddities. When his old scales were loosening, sometimes he would get them on his tongue and in between his teeth while he cleaned himself. This was much nicer.

His nest-mate had finished eating and was returning to the crib. He was pushed aside as they wedged themselves in between him and their sister. She was glad to see them return, shrieking and holding her arms out. His nest-mate hummed pleasantly at her, and nuzzled into her arms.

His eyelids drooped as he gazed into the flames, relaxing slightly. They were warm as they brushed his snout. He was comfortable there near the heat, with his belly full and his chin resting on his legs. He watched the flames dance, swaying and forming shapes in the evening light. He saw a huge man sitting on a chair fall, and a tiny boy replaced him. He saw this boy fall as well, and an even smaller one replaced him. The smaller boy and the chair were toppled by a slight little man lurking in the shadows. He saw men rise from the grave and turn on their brethren. People huddled away from the cold, but they were torn from their holes by these dead mean and turned into monsters. The monsters and the men danced, neither gaining the advantage. He felt his eyelids droop further.

They sat like that waiting for their mother to return. The sun was nearly set, a warm glow surrounded their camp. The small fire flickered, casting strange shadows around them. He heard voices talking and shouting. He heard animal sounds and the sounds of feet moving. Music and food were being made. He saw the camps surrounding them develop and grow, but they stayed further away. They always kept a wide berth when he or his nest-mates were in camp.

He heard the two-legs around him murmuring and arguing. Some of their voices stood out to him, like the voice of his sire-and-hunting-partner. He barked orders to the other two-legs, he made orders for food and for things to be done. He made orders for when they would leave the next day. He was always ordering the others. They rarely disobeyed. The one time he had seen a subjugate object to an order, he had seen his sire-and-hunting-partner dance with him. They wielded their giant claws, and they danced until the wretch's head was removed from his body, and his sire beheld it to the others as a warning. For three nights, the head sat on a stick outside their tent until his mother ordered it to be removed. His mother was the only one that seemed to give him orders and keep her head. The head was tossed to his other nest-mate, for he was massive and enjoyed the flesh of two-legs. His tail twitched as he heard him mention his mother. He lazily opened an eyelid and peered at them.

"She knows how I feel when she leaves without telling me, and I'll bet she only took your sister with her?" His huge form stalked back and forth, his arms gestured wildly. The wild hairy one was gruff in her response.

"They're both capable and smart, you are worrying like an old hag yammering to the stars. Unless you plan on flying out there, nothing you can do will change anything. They will return soon."

"Careful who you call an old hag, or I'll have you work with the fresh horses."

"Ha! Please. I bet I could break them in twice as fast as your boys could. They may never let anyone else ride them though, lest they wish to bring themselves down enough to be mounted by the lower class." Her chest was puffed up and her teeth were showing, as if she were threatening him. But he barked in response. Sometimes their bodies moved in strange ways that contradicted their faces and tones. It was odd to him, and it made it hard for him to understand their meanings at times.

"Go then, teach my boys a thing or two. And let me know what you think of that foal, it might be too young to survive without a mother." She shrugged.

"The babe needs a mother, and the mother does not necessarily have to be a horse. Let me have her."

"Fine. Go. Before I change my mind." He waved at her and then marched over, sitting down on the other side of the cradle. Across the small fire, one of his sisters' companions worked away at a bowl of loose scales, cleaning and polishing them. She hummed while she worked. She did not fear the close proximity to him, but she did not seek it out. The other one crouched by his sister, cleaning her with a damp rag. She sang quietly along to the humming. The big light coloured one sat off to the side, he always wore his scales, even when there was no fighting. He watched them all in silence, as was his want.

He turned to the sky and flicked his tongue into the air, hoping to taste a hint of his other nest-mate, but there was nothing. He had not sensed or smelt him in almost four moons. He turned his head to the side and tasted the air again, and caught a hint of something else. He rumbled excitedly and his tail twitched. His mother was returning.


	14. Chapter 14

Dany sat at the table quietly, trying to keep a false smile on her face while she chewed in small, polite bites.

She was miserable. She couldn't even understand most of what the guests were saying. They were speaking in the city's bastardized version of Dothraki. Drogo called it Rothnak. He could follow along fairly well, though he spoke much more slowly than most of the men. A small handful of guests spoke to him in Dothraki, but only briefly. As if they were trying to impress him.

Dany was glad she had chosen to wear her riding leathers instead of a dress. She was painfully aware of the fact that she was the only woman at the table. Athnash and Lillouet did not join them, instead they stood against the wall stoically. Like the other female guards in the room.

She could feel the eyes of all the men at the table exploring her body. She felt as bare and vulnerable as if she were naked. So far, not a single person except Drogo had bothered to speak to her. This would not concern her much if the meal was anything like the one in Kayakayanana. But instead it comprised of goats milk, tough slabs of beef and piles of a mashed woody vegetable of some sort. Everything was heavily spiced and very salty. Even the milk seemed to have some kind of spice or flavour added to it. Dany was glad that with her small size, no one would think twice about the small portions she served herself. She was also glad for the goats milk, for the excess salt gave her a thirst like none other.

This left her with plenty of time to observe the men at the table. They were all dark and thickly built like the Dothraki, but they were richly dressed. Many had short hair, or it was bound in braids piled atop their heads. Many of them had stomachs protruding from their robes.

The man at the head of the table, on Drogo's left side, appeared to be the Satoshi man Drogo had mentioned earlier. When they entered he had bellowed at Drogo, grabbing his arm and clapping him on the back. He was a small, older man. Richly dressed in deep plum shaded robes. His leggings looked like they were soft lambskin, and the sash around his waist appeared to be silk. On his head, partially concealing his thinning hair, was a gold diadem wrought in the shape of interwoven twigs. He mostly listened to the others and ate. He repeatedly sent the small serving boys to the kitchen to bring him more to drink. Dany suspected it was not milk, for he became progressively red in the face.

She sighed, bored, and picked at her plate. Drogo must have heard her, for he reached for her hand and skimmed his thumb across her knuckles repeatedly, soothing her. She looked up into his warm gaze, darkened by lines of charcoal above and below his eyes. His hair and moustache smelled of fresh oil and spices, for she had washed, braided and oiled it before they left. He also smelled faintly of sex and sweat, making Dany's face flush. She recalled the deep grumble and growl of his voice as they made love that morning, and the way he held her against him. She softened as he looked at her, comforted that he recognized her distress. They must have been looking at each other long enough for people to notice, for Satoshi tapped Drogo on the shoulder and asked him something.

"Naeh rah mae tok no dith maurak to nadet? Disymuth to nakit no dith mau nok taerunak niporen gath rae, yi man near to vaenery vaes raeur?

Dany flushed. It may not have been a familiar tongue, but he spoke slowly and carried a Dothraki accent. But she recognized enough of it to understand that he was asking about her. She saw Lillouet stiffen and scowl. She gestured for her to approach.

"Did you understand that, what he asked just now?"

"Khaleesi.. it would not be proper for me to repeat those words. Especially not here." Dany fumed at her in response.

"Tell me!" She was whispering, but her tone was sharp enough to cause Drogo to glance over at them, eyebrow raised.

"He asked… where the Khal found a pale one like you. He asked if it was true that they trained the women from the west to fuck like whores when they're children, since they are not adept in womanly arts. Many of the men at the table have been making bawdy jokes about you, since you are not adorned like a body guard." Lillouet's ears reddened as she told her. She bowed her head at Dany and quietly slipped back to her post against the wall.

Dany was furious. How could Drogo sit there and allow this withered old man to mock her like that? Enraged, she brought her fist down onto the table. The commotion got the attention of the old man, and when he was looking towards her she asked, "I am Daenerys Targaryen, leader of the greatest Khalasar of the century. I will not be mocked by some elderly lordling at the dinner table, if you would be so kind." Her eyes burned into his. But he did not seem disturbed, or even intrigued by her words.

"Quiet, you." He responded evenly, before returning back to his meal. The men at the table began to eat and chat again, as if nothing had happened.

Flabbergasted, Dany stood up. Drogo reached up, placing his palm on her shoulder.

"My love, please." He growled. She shrugged his hand off.

"It was not enough to blatantly ignore me, your guest, but you feel it is necessary to insult me as well?" She raged, trying to make each word into a dagger that would dig into his ears. Now he looked annoyed. He stood up slowly.

"Sit. Down." He bellowed at her. His face had turned faintly purple, and several veins stood out on his forehead. Dany was taken aback, and she heard the clink of Lillouet's arrows in her quiver as she moved towards Dany.

Lillouet placed a hand on Dany's shoulder, and gently pressed downwards.

"Please. Ma dan." She whispered. Dany detected desperation in her voice.

Dany left out the breath she had been holding and sat. She could feel her ears and the back of her neck burning. Thoroughly chastised, she cast her eyes towards her meager supper. But she no longer had an appetite. So for the remainder of the meal, she sipped on her cup of milk. Lillouet stayed close behind her, gently massaging her shoulder. Her husband took her small hand in his, and held it for the remainder of the meal.


End file.
